


The Right Path

by MissGreLig



Category: Bridgerton (TV), Bridgerton Series - Julia Quinn
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dorks in Love, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Established Relationship, Explicit Language, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Flirting, Friendship/Love, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Important Things Being Said, Innuendo, Love, Love/Hate, Modern Era, Not Beta Read, Pre-Relationship, Racism, Racist Language, True Love, True Love's Kiss, Verbal Humiliation, family matters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 24,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29445003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissGreLig/pseuds/MissGreLig
Summary: A retelling of Anthony and Kate's love story(These two are the end of my romantic heart).
Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sharma, Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sheffield
Comments: 21
Kudos: 97





	1. The Right Path

**Author's Note:**

> Well... Can't wait for season 2. AND I LOVE LOVE LOVE THE CASTING CHOOSE FOR OUR DEAR KATE. ❤️
> 
> I read the book once I finished the show (I'm new in the 'verse) and by far Katherine Grace Sheffield is my favourite character in the whole series; so I had to do something about these two dorks. Basically this is a retelling of the story in a modern setting.
> 
> UPDATE: I corrected most of things I found odd; but perhaps I haven't corrected it all (English is not my native language; my writings are to practice the language), so I'm still sorry for any mistake or error you might find. 😊
> 
> UPDATE 2: I have added in 'Relationships' the tag 'Anthony Bridgerton/Kate Sharma', just because I'm excited and I love Simone Ashley. However, in this story it's going to be still written 'Kate Sheffield', as I wrote this before we got the big news and I want it to be as it was originally written. Perhaps, if there's a part 2 of this story, I'll talk about her South Indian origins. How does that sound? 😊

Anthony Bridgerton still couldn't get his head around the idea of how lucky he had been of spending a whole day, from very early in the morning to very late at night, with Katherine Grace Sheffield; the person who, until eleven months ago, was his nemesis. That was the last thought he had before getting asleep that night.

At first, almost two years and two months ago, when Kate joined the marketing department at _Bridgerton_ , one of the most important and fanciest clothing and accessories brands in the UK and worldwide (and which was one of the sponsors of many racing sport's teams and racing drivers among other influential people of all sorts), he didn't really know who she was. He’d loved to know every single face and post of the people working at his company despite the HR dealt with the potential (and established) employees and despite he rarely met them on a daily basis; after all, he was the CEO of the company since his early graduation at Oxford University in Business and Economy after his father's, Edmund Bridgerton, sudden passing at forty-seven almost nine years ago. He didn’t meet her until four weeks after her trial period was finished and she was hired for good. 

However, Kate knew about him… thanks to _Lady Whistledown_ , the greatest gossiping Twitter account dealing with elite and important people in London; who had a certain interest in the Bridgerton brood and, in particular it seemed for a while, Anthony's private life, as it reminded people of his many one night stands. It's not he really cared about it (whoever managed the account didn't say anything far from the actual truth), but nobody liked their lives being exposed that way, and Anthony belonged to that group once those posts began to have negative repercussions with his relationships with others or affected his family severely. Kate just had this idea of Anthony being this rake, rogue, immature and arrogant person and, despite the fact she was told he wasn't actually as _Lady Whistledown_ had pictured him by many people who knew and worked with him, Kate wouldn't change her mind. Besides, their relationship hadn't started smoothly either: someone in a group of people where Anthony was too, at the cafeteria in the building, commented this new Kate at the marketing dept. wearing yellow looked like a "burnt daffodil", without noticing she was there too and was hearing them. Kate believed it was Anthony who said so and couldn't hold her tongue and give a piece of her mind to him. Of course, Anthony defended himself and that's how their cold war started. 

On the one hand, Anthony could simply have fired her if he didn't stand her, but she was one of the best in the department, if not the best in fact, and thanks to her work and ideas, the campaigns for new products she had been involved in since her hiring had been a complete success. The professional (sometimes, even personal) respect for her work and his blind confidence in her respecting the brand made him want her there. Or the other hand, Kate just could have left her post; but she loved her job and, since she was in her third year of the Business and Marketing degree, her dream was working in one of the most prestigious firms in the whole country. So, when the post was offered through Penelope Featherington (a girl she met in a magazine office Kate worked for awhile and was befriended since her childhood with the Bridgertons), despite everything she knew about Anthony that moment through _Lady Whistledown_ and Penelope, Kate applied for the post. Then, abandoning her dream because of him wasn't on her plans. Besides, she really got along with the rest of the people, even his family… And, even though it killed her to admit it, he was very professional and was one of the best bosses she has ever had in her life. But no, no one, not even her boss, would spoil this opportunity for her. 

Surprisingly for the rest of employees, both of them were fully professionals and only exchanged formal, polite words whenever he met with the members of the marketing department to approve any campaign or in any other thing that required both their presence in the same room. Nevertheless, it all changed in more informal meetings, in which Kate or Anthony would make anything to spoil and upset the other to remind them how much they hated each other. One of those times was at her first company's Christmas party; Kate got on like a house on fire with Anthony's seven siblings and, at the traditional only-for-family Bridgerton snooker championship (Kate being invited by Anthony's young brother Colin against whatever Anthony said against it), she took Anthony's _Cue of Death_ and beat every single member of that family at it almost easily, being the straw that broke the camel's back for Anthony. But not the way he expected it to be.

After that game, remembering how Kate talked and behaved with his family, all relaxed and enjoying herself, at the same time she moved in a sheath emerald green dress with his favourite cue in her hands, and with a smug and challenging look in her eyes whenever they looked at him, Anthony realised how attracted he had been towards her that night. Thinking calmly about it, after having met her for a while (well, to be honest, since the very first moment he met her), Anthony began to be aware that, perhaps, those feelings he had for her were not at all hate but attraction. He could swear she was one of the most attractive women he had ever seen in his whole life, both outside and inside. She was witty, intelligent, fierce, straightforward, honest, hard worker and completely determined on what she wanted in life. And, he didn't know how, she apparently knew how to push Anthony's buttons- for good and bad, as if she had known him since forever- and take the best and sometimes the worst out of him. Although her lookings usually were the opposite to what people would say it's attractive, it was the way her wavy dark brown hair fell over her shoulders, the way her determined and intelligent brown eyes looked at him, the way her natural reddish lips -too far from what people would consider alluring- opened and closed and let her voice out for expressing her ideas or just call him whatever, her scent of soap and lilies mixed with soft perfume, and the way her body and curves moved in those smart, classic and neutral but ravishingly looking clothes she wore that Anthony Bridgerton would admit, if she was only a mere stranger, he would ask her out on a Saturday and end up with her on a bed. And he knew that these lust and attraction emotions were reciprocal; behind all the hate and rage in Kate's eyes whenever they confronted each other, Anthony could distinguish a spark of these feelings in her too. However, negative feelings always were heavier than this strange fire burning inside them, and they kept hating (although with less intensity than at the beginning) each other.

Yet, their relationship changed upside down eleven months ago from where they found themselves nowadays. It was a late Friday night, and there was a heavy electric storm releasing all its anger on earth. Rain fell hard over the windows, and lightning and thunder gave a strange melody and light to the night. Anthony, who enjoyed days -or nights- like these, had been working till late that day (trying to tire himself to the bone to prevent his mind keeping dreaming these stupid intense wet dreams with Kate; now that their cold war seemed to have ended forever, her image -the image of her wanting him as much as he wanted her- haunted him in every dream). He was supposed to be alone in the building, except for the cleaning staff. Sometimes, as his father used to do and then taught Anthony whenever he was visiting or just learning how to manage the business from his best teacher, he liked to check every single corner of the building and, in case he saw something amiss (like a chipped wall or lights which didn't turned on or even the flush of the toilet not working), he called someone to fix it as soon as possible. He wanted people to be the happiest they could be in their working place and cared about; as it mostly was. His responsibility as CEO was not only to run the company right, but also to make the staff happy, respected, attended, rewarded for their work as well as assure their welfare; something he would confidently say he did. It was walking by the marketing department doing this route when he noticed a dim light coming from one of the offices. At first, he thought, whosoever their office was, they forgot to turn off the lights. But what he found instead was something different: Kate, sitting on the floor hopeless and distraught and whipping and struggling to breathe, with her eyes shut over her knees, trying to embrace herself at the same time she tried to cover her ears with her hands, her office disorganised in a way that didn't seem to be done on purpose. Whatever happened between them before was all buried and forgotten in half a second. 

He sat by her side the closest he could and was allowed in order to, little by little, with smoothing words, kind gestures and touches, and the patience he had never had around her, calm her down and help get her out of the mental place she was then. After several cups of water, the silence reigning in the atmosphere, the storm finally easing off and the last tears being dropped from her panic attack, Kate confessed ashamedly (and still a scant shaken) to Anthony she was afraid of storms since she was only three, and that, although she had managed and learnt to deal with it during her whole life, she just couldn't control herself sometimes. Contrary to what she expected he would react (would he laugh at her? would he humiliate her?), Anthony just told her, while stroking with his hand up and down her back to make her comfortable, confident and calm: "That's ok. Everyone is afraid of something and reacts the best they can. It's nothing to be ashamed of; not around me. If you want to, I'll help you with anything you ask me now and next time". He would never judge something like that; after all, he was the one ironically afraid of bees after his father died too young due to a bee’s sting. The firm's logo was a bee and his father died because of it. Thankfully, the years he thought he would die similarly to his father passed, but still was terrified of them.

After that day, everything calmed down for real. No more fights, or shoutings, or quarrels. They became friends, and began to know the other as if they had just become acquaintances; liking what they found out about the other quite a lot. He would genuinely ask her how she was and worried about her; she would answer, and ask him too the very same questions with a slight blush in her apple cheeks which he found really cute. The worst thing about working in the family business was that Anthony had his two young brothers, Benedict (Vice CEO) and Colin (International Representative of _Bridgerton_ , and the third CEO), at his side noticing the change in their ambient and not missing a moment to tease him for his infatuation with his former nemesis. "I'm sorry not sorry for my words, dear brother", Benedict would say with the only pleasure of laugh at his older brother, after Anthony appreciated for nearly forty minutes Kate's work for a children's line campaign, "your previous behaviour towards sweet Kate was only a wrongly channelling of you wanting to shag her. I think half the world knows you've been pinning for her for a while, but your pride hasn't allowed you to see it clear. My piece of advice you haven't asked for? Ask her out. Just do it. She won't say _"No"_. I've seen you two look at each other and I think the rest of the family and especially mother will be delighted with your wedding next year. By the way, tell me when it is so that I can tell Sophie." Anthony would just scoff and ignore him, but deep down he just agreed with his brother's words. Bloody hell, he was lost; and Benedict right. He had even noticed he wasn't anymore interested in one night stands and hadn't had sex in a while… unless it finally was with Kate. Everything he could think of was Kate, day and night. He found himself wishing to pursue something serious with her, but he just didn't know how to ask her out after their history. Last time he tried dating someone seriously, he ended up with his heart even more broken than it was and he was afraid of experiencing that again. He was so sure with Kate...

Destiny seemed to be kind to them (after all, Anthony wasn't the only one whose feelings had changed towards the "nemesis". Kate would very frequently dream too about Anthony day and night… naively and not so innocently). One of a adult clothing line campaign needed sudden changes before its imminent launching, so Anthony, whose sleeping hours had been taken away because of this campaign, called (through his assistant) a Saturday urgently every single member of the marketing dept. first hour in the morning to sort things out. Kate had been sleeping when she received the call and only had time to put some clothes on without really paying attention, to walk Newton (her "big boned" corgi, don't you dare to call him fat) really fast and to call for an Uber to drive her to work as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Anthony was buying breakfast for everyone in the closest coffee shop to the offices, and since he wanted to have a special something with Kate, he called the marketing dept. assistant to know what specifically Kate usually had for breakfast, badly hidden with the usual orders from the rest of the team. Once he returned and checked Kate hadn't arrived yet, he freely left her breakfast on the desk of her office together with a formal but sweet note, knowing she would stop there first before heading to the meeting room. After a while, when everyone was almost ready to start, Kate arrived at the room wearing a ponytail, no make-up, a fuchsia sweatshirt, sport leggings in navy blue and her trainers. And a stupid grin she fought to hide because of the breakfast she had on her hands (and made her fall for him harder than she actually wanted; but she just couldn't deny it anymore: where previously had been loath, now there was something close to love). Anthony's heart skipped a beat with such a sight, and his bad temper for working on a Saturday and being sleep deprived faded away. She was on the other side of the room, but he could smell her scent and soften any kind of tension he was feeling since the night before. He knew romantic relationships weren't about depending on others for one's well-being, but Kate was no other and provided the balm he needed the most even when she knew nothing about it just with her presence, or existence.

The day passed and every single person there worked hard to get everything sorted before Sunday, 23:59h. At 6:30 pm everyone was dismissed thankfully with a good job done. Anthony wanted to retrain Kate somehow but, tired as he was, no good idea just popped up to make any movement. Imagining he had lost an explendid opportunity, headed defeated to his office to pick his wallet, car keys and suit jacket. When he got out of the office, he saw someone else who was not his assistant Janet.

"I haven't thanked you before, for breakfast", Kate said with a small smile forming on her lips. "Thank you".

"Oh, well. It was nothing" Anthony answered nervously. He laughed at the irony of the situation: almost a year ago he wouldn't be intimidated by anyone (least a woman) or anything and now he was like a teenager talking with his crush. Perhaps, he was again a teenager full of life after a long time of feeling nothing but pain. "Next time I'll know what to order. Cappuccino with two sugar cubes, and a cheese and ham sandwich", he hurriedly added.

"That's right." Kate's smile expanded on her face, at the same time her eyes became brighter. _Can I make her do it forever?_ Anthony questioned himself. "Can I know your order? Just in case I decide to pay you back". Kate said, trying to hide her flirting.

"A cortado; with one sugar cube. And a muffin. I like it bittersweet." He provided, noting how his cheeks and the tips of his ears became red.

"Alright."

"Right."

A comfortable silence spread between them, grinning and stealing glances to the other without knowing how to keep the conversation going, as none wanted to leave.

"I'd better-" "How did yo-" both said at the same time, and laughed. "Right, you first" Anthony offered.

"Alright. I was saying I'd better get going. It's late and I have to call for an Uber or-".

"I'll take you home," Anthony said.

"Oh, thank you; but I don't want to bother you". Kate refused, blush spreading over her cheeks.

"It's no bother at all. I have to cross half London before getting home anyways; so… a quick stop won't do any harm." Sensing Kate's doubts, he reaffirmed while approaching a bit closer, "I'm serious. It's no bother at all and I'd happily do it."

"Ok; I accept. Thank you again." Kate looked straight to his eyes with that glance which ignited Anthony's desire to kiss her sound. "What were you about to say?" Kate's voice softener and lowered, as if it was a whisper.

"I was going to ask you how you came here before; but I think I already know." He smiled and, looking into her eyes, said: "You ready?"

Kate just nodded. All words died on her throat when Anthony looked at her like that. He moved and offered his arm, so chivalrously fashioned that Kate just snorted. "Let's go, then", she said, taking his arm.

The lift passed quicker than they expected, and it was almost a forty-five-minutes drive from work. Kate was flabbergasted with the car (she hadn't seen such a luxurious and tidy and clean car in her life! And it smelt like Anthony: a mix of the XS for men perfume she loved even before realising he wore it, the characteristic Bridgerton smell she wasn't sure if the family just shared the same soap and the fabric softener which gave the sensation of cleanness in him), as well as she had an animated chinwag with Anthony about anything and nothing. When he parked in a street, next to the main artery of the borough but quite lonely and almost badly lighted, in front of an old (but well conserved) building of flats full of balconies which Kate indicated it was her place, he couldn't stop from saying "Is it really here?"

"What do you mean with _here_?" Kate inquired frowning. 

"Nothing bad, really" Anthony sensed he was about to get in trouble and hurriedly explained himself. "I don't know, I imagined you lived somewhere else… don't know, fancier I'd say. Not that Wimbledon is the worst place to live in London. It could be worse; but, I don't know…"

"Not all of us can afford living in Zone 1", Kate said, a bit upset and defensive, crossing her arms just under the curve of her breasts.

"I'm not meaning that." Anthony swifted on his seat to look at Kate much better. "It's that, although I don't judge or really think about what people do with their money and manage it because I don't really care, I know the average wages of every department in _Bridgerton_ ; and I know how much rent costs here -because a friend of mine used to live in the zone- to know you can afford something way better than this in London. Something in Zone 2, in the border with 3, surely if you don't want to spend too much."

"You're not judging but are judging me and my decision on how to spend my wage; I see" Kate commented defiantly.

"I am not; for real, Kate. Perhaps I expressed myself in the wrong way, but I'm not trying to humiliate or telling you what to do. I'm just trying to tell what I had imagined around you and it's different to what I thought it was." Anthony's eyes looked at her, pleading her to believe him.

Kate looked at his brown eyes a few minutes more, studying them and his face's expression. She knew when he was lying: his brow (now covered by the fringe which generally was combed back on his short, straight, thick, brown hair, but by the end of the day fell over, making Kate wanting to comb it with her hands) wouldn't wrinkle the way it did now, and his eyebrows wouldn't be slightly arched showing worry and concern, making the dimple between them more visible. Besides, his brown eyes would be slightly closed halfway and little lines would appear around them. The nostrils in his fine, flecked-covered nose would be opened and in his fine lips a badly hidden small smile would be drawn, making two small dimples appear on his cheeks covered in light brown stubble. But none of that happened; instead, his eyes were fully opened, no wrinkles or lines around them appearing and his nostrils were as usual. His lips were a line, with a small concerned pout formed at the front of them.

"I believe you", she finally said, moving to unfasten her seatbelt, but never stopping looking at him. He visibly relaxed and Kate, without knowing why, explained. "I just send part of my wage to Mary and Edwina, my step-mother and my sister".

"Are they struggling?" Anthony genuinely showed concern and interest. He could see Kate's appearance just wasn't as posh as half of the employees, but he could see it was smart and in accordance with the dress code of the company; not to mention her correct and polite behaviour.

"Well, not really… But I like to help them, however I can". It was the furthest she would comment at the moment. However, she didn't want (again) to call it the day with Anthony, and before she realised, she was inviting him out to a pizzeria on the main street she liked to go when Edwina and Mary visited. He accepted gladly.

"But before we go, I have to walk Newton." Kate realised. "I'm sorry; it's the first time I forget about him. It will be a short walk, I promise. Unfortunately, this pizza place doesn't allow animals and I couldn't bring him with us… if you didn't mind it I brought him, of course" Anthony looked at her questioning who Newton was (although he could imagine) and trying to stop her rambling without really stopping her. "It's my dog. My Instagram is basically a photo album of him, look" she said while taking her phone and getting into the app.

"I didn't know you had an Instagram account. Everybody has one, but I couldn't see you with one", Anthony became closer to see the pictures posted. And to smell her scent and feel the heat from her body, if he was really honest.

"Oh, I guess I didn't mention it to you before. My bad. Look, this is Newton." She chose a picture and showed it to him. "It was when he was a baby, four years ago. I adopted him before coming to London from Somerset, where Mary and Eddie live. Look how cute he was." Kate said that the same way his mother spoke of any of her (now, most of them adult) children. _I wonder how Kate would speak about her children… and if she would like their surname being Bridgerton. Wooooooh, mate, chill out; step by step._ Anthony imagined and calmed himself.

"I'd better get out and do as told as soon as possible. It's actually pretty late for dinner and I need to hurry up" Kate noticed and Anthony agreed. He was invited to walk with them, but he refused, as he had been planning before finding Kate waiting for him back in the offices to make some late phone calls related to the work made during that day and needed a few moments alone.

He saw how the actually fat dog and Kate turned one of the corners of the street after seeing her disappear behind the main door and appear again a few minutes later by the caramel-coloured dog and Anthony made the calls required. Since Kate hadn't arrived in ten minutes, he checked his Instagram and sought for Kate's account while waiting. When he found it (and it was public!), he paused picture by picture and studied them. There were only twenty-five pictures, most of them about watercolours (something Benedict had mentioned to him before, as his brother as an artist himself too in his free time) and Newton. Kate only appeared in five of them with whom he guessed it was her sister, her step-mother and a man who might be her father, as he looked exactly like Kate. He was zooming on a picture where Kate was devastatingly gorgeous with a huge smile in her face, in a flower garden that reminded him of his adored Aubrey Hall (and if he made a screenshot of it to make it his new phone's wallpaper until he could take her to Aubrey Hall and make a photoshoot of her between the tulips and roses and hyacinths, well, nobody needed to know), when Kate appeared again in his vision line, so he got out of the car. He left his suit vest behind in the car, rolling the sleeves of his shirt up and taking the jacket just in case it became chilly later in the night. It was the beginning of May and nights began to be hotter.

"You found me on Instagram!" Kate said, smirking. "Now I'm waiting for your acceptance in the app to follow you back. How were calls? And, by the way, this is Newton. Newton, say hi politely, please!" She said in less than thirty seconds.

Anthony first saluted Newton. He usually didn't fancy dogs or any animal in general, but Newton seemed to be different. He was so different that when, as restless as the animal was for meeting someone new, Anthony commanded to sit down and give him a hand, Newton obeyed without hesitation ("I'm still wondering how he listens to you after just know you for a couple of minutes and it takes me a whole life to manage him", Kate said blissfully astonished). Anthony hurried Kate to leave the animal home and lead to the pizzeria before it was even later (it was near 7:45pm). Once Kate left Newton, with a notification from Instagram saying Anthony had accepted her) and headed to the pizzeria, Anthony told about the calls and how all the improvements made during that day had been well received.

Now in the pizzeria (decorated in a modern way, but with the aesthetics of those restaurants in the Mediterranean coast Colin bragged of), settled in next to a window where they could see the street but they couldn't be seen, Kate realised and complained she still was in a tracksuit, after having ogled not so subtly Anthony in his dark grey, almost black, suit and white shirt, imagining if he would look as breath-taking as now in a tracksuit or, much better, naked. "I can't believe this. And I've been at home! I could have changed or something."

"If it is because of me, I don't mind." _You look beautiful. What the heck,_ he thought, but then said: "You look and are beautiful, whatever you wear."

Kate blushed heavily completely flattered, and thanked his compliment. "It's not for you. Don't get me wrong, but I like to look at me and feel coquette with my image sometimes; and, well, I'm having dinner in one of my favourite places in a tracksuit. It's not something I like to do. Besides, I'm not used to being complimented… It's my sister, the one who receives all the kind words. It's not that I don't know my value... But still… I'm talking too much. Thank you, for your words."

"I imagined it wasn't for me, yet I just felt like telling you. And now I repeat you are beautiful because I want you to know my perception of you. If people are so blind to see how beautiful you are, then damn them… and luckier us who really see it." He winked and noticed how Kate, fighting a smirk, bit her lower lip while looking at him, with eyes getting darker and cheeks in a beautiful shadow of red. A wave of lust came through his spine and hit him hard everywhere in his body. If he wasn't meant to be with her, God or whatever managing his life was having a great time torturing him. Before he did something he'd regret later, he did instead something he had been regretting to do since _that_ stormy night. "Kate, I'd like to tell you something".

"Is something wrong?" Kate's face fell before Anthony's tone and worried.

"No, no. Well, actually it is." He squared his shoulders and looked at her directly in the eye: "I want to apologise to you for everything I did at the beginning of our… something-ship." He chuckled, nervously. "I don't know how to call what we used to have."

"Certainly, we were enemies", Kate noted, with a sad smile… She wasn't proud of that part of their story either.

"We were, yes." He said. "Anyway, I'm sorry for everything I said and did. There have been a lot of things I can't remember, and I'm not proud of any of it. I behaved like a spoiled child and those actions, even though I am responsible for them, do not represent me. That's why I'd like to really offer my sincere apologies and I hope you can forgive me.”

Kate looked at him, and he could see she was remembering. He didn't know if she had an account of everything they did to the other, but certainly he knew she remembered. "You know," Kate swifted in her seat, confident but at the same time doubtful, approaching the closer she could to the table so that she could speak clearly without raising her voice, "do you remember when you kicked me in the arm while I was trying to put some new paper in the printer?" Anthony nodded, suddenly remembering; he had been playing with his brothers and brother-in-law and best friend Simon football the previous day and his knee felt a dull pain, so he kicked to the air to check it was alright whenever he felt something wrong before bothering going to the doctor. And one of those times, he was by the printers with a dull ache on his knee and, without noticing her there kneeled, he kicked Kate's arm. "Well, I got a bruise for two weeks there. Next day, when I woke up and saw the shiner forming in my arm, I almost went to the police and reported you for abuse because I was tired of you and our dynamics." Anthony became white; if he thought sensibly, it was what he would expect from her sisters to have done if they had found themselves in the same situation. "I still don't know what refrained me; perhaps that I deeply knew you didn't do it on purpose -you apologised that time and tried to apologise several times after, but I wouldn't listen to anything you said. In fact, it was when we stopped this stupid war between us- or that I had done things I shouldn't have done either and I'd be hypocrite. It's true, except for that occasion, we never hurt the other physically, but we said and did things that hurt and humiliated the other and, even though it was fun for both parties, it wasn't right. After that night, you know which one, I had trouble understanding how this person, who supposedly hated me and pranked me heavily each day, suddenly worried and cared about me. And began to think that, perhaps, I'd been wrong about you the whole time and shouldn't have been influenced by what a gossip account on the Internet had to say about someone. But you didn't help me to have a different picture of you from your actions towards me. Part of me forgave you that night, but there is a not that small part still resentful with you and I want you to know I doubt it'll die easily. Fortunately, neither I nor women around me have been abused or in a situation of submission by a man; but I was afraid our little game had become much bigger than what we expected and you had crossed the line. I only knew you like to sleep every single weekend with a different girl (not judging you for that) and that you seemed to behave immaturely. Penelope would tell me that was your only _'sin'_ ", she air-quoted "But that you were this dear and kind and responsible person who wouldn't do any harm to anybody just for the sake of it… And it took me time, but she was right and I'm happy I realised who Anthony Bridgerton really is." Kate took his hands across the table and squeezed them. "I'm not blaming you on everything, I have also a great deal to apologise for and I ask you too for forgiveness; but I want to understand my position and the reason why I want to make things clear now we are open and comfortable enough around the other to talk about it; now I would dare say we are friends."

"I… I don't know what to say, Kate." Whatever he was thinking the dinner would be, he wasn't expecting something like this. Anthony looked disappointed with himself; he had been raised to be a real man: those who weren't afraid to cry or be frustrated before the people he loved; and those who treated women as the human beings they are, never in a poor way. Never, ever, had he behaved in the wrong way with any of his previous girlfriends or any other woman at work, university, or a Saturday. Not even with Siena. "I'm really sorry for any harm I caused you." He squeezed back her fingers, which still gripped his hands. "Perhaps I saw it like a game, a challenge. You know now we Bridgerton are hell competitive people." Both chuckled. Competitive didn't fit right to what they really were, and Kate seemed to fit in that particular definition too. "But I never imagined what it could have meant for you as a woman. I, then, again ask you for your forgiveness. If it is not now, then whenever you feel it. You know I would never hurt anyone willingly; and that you are forgiven." He was determined to improve much more as a person, just to be half as good as the woman he had in front of him. Kate nodded and smiled a bit sadly. She knew, and sensed, he was saying the truth. She knew how he treated his sisters and women at office, as well as every single good thing Penelope had told of him, being much many than Kate, at the time, was willing to recognise (Kate remembered how proud she had felt, at the beginning of her friendship with Anthony, of him when Penelope told her how he stood up for her in her mid-teens, when she wasn't still able to defend herself very successfully, of the bully who was pestering her). But sexism and abuse towards women was something that had bothered and frustrated her since secondary school; and she didn't want to be a promoter of them in her personal relationships with no one. She still had to learn a lot, but still. Now, she deep down knew that toxic enmity was over and, during the time they had been friends, there was not any other thing but healthy friendship.

The waiter came and brought the drinks they ordered when they sat: Italian beer for her and still water for him, as he was driving. They changed the conversation topic to something lighter: their families and the important role they had in their lives. He told her about growing up in a family of eight siblings including him named alphabetically and the history of the brand, from his great-great-grandfather (who was the third son to a Lord) to nowadays. He told her about Benedict and his not-so-secret girlfriend Sophie and all the portraits he had made of her hidden in his office, but for some reason they hadn't made public the relationship yet; about how Colin and Penelope spoke every day and night via phone calls or instant messages but he did not want to recognise how much in love he is of one of his childhood's friends, even though every single person knew Penelope was in love with him too; about his sister Daphne and his husband Simon, his best friend since Eton College and one of the most important and serious actors in Britain, their not-yet-born child and how everyone was excited about their arrival; how Eloise, together with Daphne, had become one of the most important designers for the brand by including the lines of _Bridgerton Petite, Bridgerton Tall_ and _Bridgerton Plus-Size_ and was thinking on asking her boyfriend Phillip to get married; about Francesca training hard to become a WF2 driver, now she was on the WF3 and her perhaps not-so-silly infatuation with her trainer Michael; and, finally, about the typical teenage problems his younger siblings Gregory and Hyacinth were experiencing in their lives. Moreover, he praised his mother Violet and, through his words, Kate could notice how much he loved her; all his family in fact. Kate had met her before too, and found her one of the loveliest people she had met in her life, reminding her a lot of Mary sometimes and wishing Violet and Mary had the opportunity to meet some day.

Kate told him about her life with her sister Edwina, her step-mother Mary, her late father Albert Miles Sheffield and some of her friends in a country town and at university. How much she enjoyed drawing nature even though she wasn't a very good artist, but actually wasn't that bad either. She told him about her favourite holiday, the last one she had with her friends before moving alone to London, in a cottage in the middle of nowhere in Wales and how relaxed she felt seeing and hearing the waves of the beach… but still preferred the countryside and gardens full of flowers. He now told her about Aubrey Hall (the family's stately home in Kent, the last reminiscence of a lost royal title in their family branch), the large gardens with flowers and even a pond and how much he preferred the countryside to the city, inviting Kate to visit it whenever she fancied. She mentioned her sister studied Philosophy and Education at Bath University, and that she is an actual enthusiastic person about the different philosophical viewpoints… Something she did not hate, but didn't enjoy at all because she then would overthink about anything and would have headaches. Anthony found himself telling her how such a thing also happened to him, for real. Then Kate went a bit serious and told Anthony the reason why she sent money to her family: university was expensive, and after her father passed (when she was eighteen, eight days after she was sent to Bath University due to a sudden stroke), the little food shop chain their family run in some cities and small towns in Somerset stopped being that profitable as they used to do. So, even though they weren't bankrupt and could afford a sort of well-off life, money was needed. Kate worked hard during some summer holidays on different shops to help as much as she could, as well she worked in Bath in libraries and bookshops while she studied. It was working like this and with some savings she had that she could come to London to try to find a job in Marketing at twenty-three years old just to help a bit more, in spite of being so far from her family. Before working for a few years as a freelance here and there and earning enough to live OK in an expensive city, _Bridgerton_ came. Anthony understood and asked her if he could do anything to help them, but she refused and jocked: "Just keep me in the post and that's it. Don't dare to do anything else to help without me asking for it or you'll meet my ire again". After that, Anthony explained how his father's passing had affected him at twenty-one, and how he passed from being a regular university student in his second year to an early university postgraduate and president of one of the most important firms in the country with a terrible fear of bees and who sometimes would think about his own mortality in the span of three years. "I was mature enough and eagerly ready for the post, but I didn't want to show how afraid, confused and depressed I was. I worshipped my father so much I wanted to make him proud. Somehow I became the head of the family, and I wanted everyone to be okay; as if, yes, Dad was forever gone but they were taken care of and loved as though he was still there." And he told her then once he took the reins of the company and his new life, he became the person Lady Whistledown said he was. "It's not as a consequence… It's just that I relaxed at last, and wanted to live differently; I wanted to make up for my lost younger years. During college and university I was this boy who didn't want to be attached to no one, and tried to keep that once I knew my new role in life. Every woman I was with was an adult and on the same page I was; so why not? But this _Lady_ _Something_ seems to be trapped in the 19th Century and made assumptions about something I'm not, making other people see the negative part of me; as if I were the only person doing so in the whole world. Well, now they seem occupied with Prudence Featherington and have forgotten about me and my family. God, I had an opinion of them, but I didn't know it was this hard." He laughed and Kate, who showed sorrow and a support that warmed his chest, asked for forgiveness again for judging him, also agreeing with him on Lady Whistledown's comments on people. She also had been a target of them a couple of times since the first snooker championship, after all. He said again she was forgiven and that he preferred to leave all that behind.

Since it seemed the night surprisingly invited them to be open and show their vulnerability to the other fearless, Kate told his that her mother died when she was just three in a car accident, where she almost died too, because a heavy storm which wouldn't stop had wet too much the road and her mother lost the control of the car, impacting against a tree. Two years later, her father met Mary and married her happily almost instantly, as they fell hard for the other and Mary fell in love with Kate too. Edwina arrived a year after the wedding. She told him how thankful she was for Mary not treating her differently to Edwina and love the family she and her father had formed. What's more, she was the one who made therapy with her to treat her fear of storms. Anthony, then, while showing support and sorrow for her story the way she had done with him moments before, felt a sense of reciprocal understanding: both of them had lost the most important people in their lives, and had managed to survive despite the consequences that shaped their lives. They were more alike than they thought they were when they met for the first time.

While conversing, they had shared a pizza carbonara and even shared dessert: a cheesecake, Kate's favourite, as well as some jokes about whatever to counteract the intensity of their conversation. Perhaps a little too much for being a _non-first date_ , but who on earth established the rules on what to talk and not talk if they felt comfortable enough, understood and without fear of feeling judged to do so? Wasn't the purpose to know the other in order to start a relationship? They split the bill (after both of them stubbornly arguing over who paid the total amount, ending in such a result), paid, and walked slowly back to Anthony's car and Kate's door. Anthony felt he needed to be honest about his love life with Kate and told her about Siena Maria Rosso, his first real love. She was an Italian exchange student who studied Music and was his friend with benefits at the time. He was really in love with her and, for him, the only real girlfriend he had. He was with her when he received the call from his thirteen-year-old sister Daphne telling their dad had died. She felt sorry for him and even consoled him, but she didn't show the support Anthony expected from her. Each day that passed after that terrible week, Siena was colder towards him; until he asked what was going on and she broke up with him. She said he pursued something with her that she could not really provide to him, and that throughout that week she realised she couldn't do that even though she tried hard because she really liked him a lot, but he needed to let her go because they would be miserable and that she was sorry. So he was twice broken-hearted in the span of two weeks. He recovered from Siena quicker than he thought, thanks mainly to work and his studies… And a lot of talking with Simon about her; but still remembered how he could have liked someone that much without knowing he wasn't reciprocated. Kate pitied him too, but differently to the way Siena did. Not better, because despite the fact that she disagreed and was furious towards her actions (breaking up with someone when their parent had recently died? That was too low), she wouldn't say something bad about a woman she didn't know or judge her without knowing her version of the story at all. She even understood her feelings; better to cut things off before it hurt more. But not when she did it. Kate told him, now closer to her flat, that she had been lucky in that sense with her previous two boyfriends, but she knew they didn't like her enough to keep the relationship further. She had been broken-hearted before, sure; but luckier than him in that sense. Also, she commented she had tried seeing people in London, but she hadn't found anything… even though she loves her current status.

They reached Kate’s door and, similarly to what happened before at the offices, they stood there awkwardly standing one in front of the other, shamelessly ogling. Anthony broke the spell, just to make everything more real. He closed the distance between them, always leaving enough space in case Kate wanted to leave, and asked dropping the voice the way he knew women liked and making Kate shiver and ignite something inside her: “What if someone asked you out now? Would you accept?” To which Kate answered similarly: “I’m quite alright where I am right now. Single and unperturbed by no-one's businesses. But, if the right person asks nicely, then, and only then”, she gave a step back, marking the distance between them with a smug smile Anthony really loved, and flirting “I may accept it”. Kate walked to the front door and said “I have to walk Newton again… The previous walk, although he took his time, was quite short and I don’t want to wake up in the morning with a little surprise on the floor.” She chuckled, rolling her eyes and looked away from him; she was trying hard not to kiss him. That night was being perfect, and she didn’t want to spoil. “Do you wanna-”

“I’ll go with you.”

“It’s late; almost eleven.”

“I don’t mind. Do you?”, he smiled encouragingly.

“I don’t. I’ll be here in a sec.” Kate rushed in and, in less than three minutes, a happy bark greeted him.

They walked and entered a nearby park. It closed in twenty-five minutes, but it was going to be a short walk; less than ten minutes. Kate was tired and she noticed Anthony was too, as he had told her he barely slept the night before thinking about the campaign on their way to Wimbledon. They scarcely talked; they felt so good just walking this close to the other they didn’t need to say anything. Occasionally, their hands would meet and caress the other. It was in one of those moments in which his hand grabbed hers and fueled her lust that Newton decided it would be nice to have a bath in the pond reigning the park. The lash escaped from Kate’s hand, and in half a second Anthony and Kate were running after Newton. _How on earth could a chubby beast like this run this fast?_ Anthony reasoned. Newton jumped into the pond and barked happily for his mischief; but before Kate could get her feet in the water, Anthony had Newton in his arms and his feet on the water.

“Oh, Anthony. I’m so sorry. Now you’re soaking too because this dog.” Kate helped them get out of the water and headed them to her house, frenetically scolding Newton and apologising to Anthony. He entered and analysed what he saw: the way the house was decorated and arranged couldn’t scream more “this is Kate Sheffield’s house”. It had modern and classic furniture which combined perfectly, with watercolours and pictures of her family and friends, flowers and landscapes decorating the walls. It smelled like fresh flowers and the perfume Kate used to wear, making it cozy. When Kate apologised for the mess, he almost snorted impolitely loudly; the house could not be more ordered and clean. Kate wouldn't allow such a thing; just a look to her office and it would tell how organised she was. He didn't notice when Kate had gone somewhere else, but his attention came back to her when she entered the living room with two towels, one for Anthony and another for Newton. “I left some clothes that might fit you in the bathroom. You take the wet clothes off before you catch a cold and give it to me to hang them to dry… I don't think tumbling them dry will do good, though. You can use the shower if you want; there are more clean towels in the cabinet next to the toilet if you need them.” She directed while drying and scolding Newton, barely seeing Anthony's stupid lovesick grin on his lips. He could get used to and wouldn't mind getting this everyday, in this house, his or the one they together choose. He announced he was heading the bathroom meanwhile Kate moved to the laundry basket in the kitchen with what he supposed were Newton's stuff, her back facing him.

He didn't spend too much time analysing Kate's bathroom (it was an ordinary bathroom; pretty much similar to his sisters), but he noticed some of the products Kate used for her skincare (like a moisturizer that smelled like strawberries) and the damn shampoo that smelled like lilies. He, however, dwelt on the idea of having a shower. He felt he needed it: soaked as he was and feeling his toes and arms got colder every passing minute. Besides, tired as he was, a shower would do good for calling the day, even though he didn't want to call it at all. Not when it seemed they had the power to stretch time in order to be together as much time as they could. Anthony never showered in other people's bathrooms; his family aside (it was family and they would tell him to do it freely). But Kate… she wasn't family ( _yet_ , he detailed to himself), and despite having been friends for a period of time, he did feel he was intruding into her privacy. Right, she gave him permission (well, she likely ordered it) to use it if he wanted; but still. He was startled by a knock at the door.

"Anthony", Kate said. Was it nervousness in her voice? It was, but it didn't retrain her. "I was wondering if you'd like a cup of tea… once you finish."

"Oh", Anthony answered. He curled his toes and felt them colder than he thought they'd be. Shower was assured. "Eh… That would be lovely, yes."

"Right. How- how do you like it?" Kate stuttered, as she heard the water falling. _He's there, naked,_ her mind shouted at her, as if convincing her to get in there and… _Stop it, Kate._

"Milk, and no sugar if you're so kind, please. And hot." Anthony said back.

"Perfect. I'll see you then." Once the words escaped from her mouth, she closed her eyes embarrassed and whispered to herself, _Why did I say that? Oh, this stupid flirt it's going to make you mad._

"I'll be out in a sec." He said, amused.

Kate prepared the kettle and took from one of the cabinets two tea bags. Why on earth was she in such a state? Was it because she had brought someone home after a while, or was it because that someone was not other than Anthony Bridgerton? She was a mess. And behaving like a teenager.

She was known for being a determined person… except when her heart and feelings were at stake. Despite her image of a strong and self-confident person, she was the opposite. Doubts always floated in every step she took, both professionally and personally. And in the matters of the heart... What if she tried something and things weren't as expected? That is, what if she wasn't enough for him or he didn't like her the way she liked him? He had been with many girls, and undoubtedly he had someone else to compare her with, physically and emotionally; or worse, what if she did compare herself with people she didn't know and spoiled it for both. Kate wasn't a coward; if she had to face heartbreak and the end of a relationship, she would do it as she had done before. But something inside her told her everything with Anthony was different.

The kettle's green light indicated water was ready now, and when she moved to retrieve two mugs from the cabinet above the sink, she saw one man's hand taking the mugs and noticed in her left hip a gentle touch. She moved slightly and noticed Anthony's body heat and scent covering her senses. Anthony took the bags and put them in the mugs, and then moved to the kettle (without taking his hand from her hip, playing with his fingers on her), pouring the water.

"And you, Kate?" He said with a raspy voice, so close to her ear " how do you like your tea?"

Kate almost groaned. If she were asked, she wouldn't provide a good answer about how she didn't do it. How could she be turned on with a simple question? Well, with that voice… Kate's mind went to places she _ardently desired_ to meet sooner than ever; but not today.

She moved to the kitchen's door, but still close to him, and replied: "Only tea, with two spoons of sugar, please. I'll get a shower." And moved without noticing his damp hair, relaxed face, and how the clothes lent to him suited him much better than both of them thought when taking the items.

Anthony prepared tea, left the cups on the coffee table in front of one of the two beige sofas. He noticed how Newton came towards him, with his tongue out and an apologetic gaze in his eyes. "Well, at least you seem sorry. Kate's sometimes can be too much when scolding, but she does it because she loves you." _She loves you,_ resonated in his head. Did she love him? She was lustful; he could notice that. He was it for her too. But love? He couldn't say. He heard the water of the shower fall and _excitement_ hit him. She was naked right now in the same space he had been before less than four minutes ago. He could enter there and take her and make all the things he had wanted to make to her even before they became friends. But no, he wanted something different; he wanted to demonstrate Kate he _liked, liked_ her. She was not someone with whom to have fun just a couple of hours, but -if allowed- a lifetime. And if she didn't completely like him and, again, if allowed, he would court her and demonstrate how much she meant to him in a 19th Century way if it was necessary just to make her see.

Anthony sat on the sofa and took a sip from his mug. He took his phone and answered some instant messages from his siblings while waiting. What he waited for, he wasn't sure: to leave; to stay; for a kiss or a word. Whatever, but something from Kate; his beacon of light in a rather dark world. He felt how the dog had managed to climb the sofa and lie next to him, his face in his arm, just for Anthony to pet him. Absently, Anthony contented the dog while drinking and reading the family group chat. Apparently, Hyacinth had won some school gymkhana based on unsolved mysteries and everyone had been congratulating her. He did so too, quite late in the day. Benedict talked to him immediately via private chat teasing about his date with Kate. How Benedict knew, remained a mystery to him.

So into the family chat was he, he hadn't noticed Kate had been watching him for a long moment from the small corridor leading to her bedroom, the guest bedroom and the bathroom. He seemed to fit so well in her life… so comfortable, so right. It seemed like he had been living here with her forever; since being friends, and even when they couldn't stand each other, he had respected her and her boundaries. Sometimes it didn't look like that, but both of them knew. Suddenly, the pressure of the "what ifs'' didn't exist for a second. He was in an old, extra large white t-shirt from her university years, and in a male long grey tracksuit bottoms she had bought, well, because, when she moved to London. She closed her eyes and wished this could be like this for; perhaps she was a coward after all.

She went to her bedroom again, where Anthony had put his clothes to dry on a chair and making them almost impossible to get dried. She took the items and placed them stretched over the bed in the guest room.

"Anthony", she called him while going to the living room, "I moved your clothes to the guest room for them to dry better. Over the chair would never get properly dried and would get imaginable wrinkles on them. I'm sorry that my dog made this mess. It doesn't usually behave like this, but it doesn't mean anything…"

Anthony looked up from his phone and found Kate in pyjamas -a combination of a white t-shirt and long green pyjama trousers-, with her hair loose framing her face. She looked tired and concerned about something he really wasn't paying too much attention… But blissful at the same time, with a shadow of a smile she probably didn't know she had drawn in her lips. _Her lips._ Anthony noticed how he smiled in return. _How is it possible that I'm tired as hell, but still don't want to go? What if he stayed there forever?_

"Come sit here" Anthony patted the side of the sofa, as Newton still was lying on his other side. Kate obeyed and sat beside him, so close that, if she was a scant more braver, she could rest her head on his shoulder. "Thanks for the clothes… these I'm wearing and for the others being put to dry. I'll give these to you soon, completely washed. Oh, here's your tea." He leaned enough to take the mug (still hot) without bothering Newton or Kate. Kate thanked him, with a sleepy smile. "Oh, and Newton has already apologised. I accepted it; after all, he has allowed me more time with you." Anthony confessed. In her hazy state, Kate recognised the implications of his words and blushed.

"Is that what you want?" She whispered. "I mean, for real? Despite everything we had been through?"

Now, not caring a bit about Newton, get even closer to her. So close he could feel her breath on his face. "Likely because of everything."

And Kate closed the distance. She, who wasn't brave enough, closed the small distance between them and kissed him. His lips on hers was even better than what she had imagined, even though the kiss wasn't the best one neither of them had had in their lives. However, it was their first, and because of it it was perfect. She put her hands around the nape of his head to make him even closer, and his hands travelled to her waist to do just the same. Suddenly, she felt she was enough for him. And Anthony was assured she was the one.

After a while, Kate broke the passionate kiss and, with closed eyes, rested her forehead on his. "Must you go? I don't want you to go."

"Then I'll stay here." Anthony answered and gave her a less passionate kiss on the lips. She kissed him back and then, her face rolled down to hide in the crook of his neck. Anthony reached for a blanket which hung on one of the arms of the sofa and covered them both with it. In less than a minute, both of them were asleep.

Kate woke up, the sun entering through the window of her living room. By the way the sun entered, it seemed past eleven in the morning. For a second, she didn't remember why she was sleeping on her sofa… but then she recalled his lips on hers and that she asked him to stay. She opened her eyes… but Anthony wasn't there. Not on the sofa, not in the house even. She wondered if everything had been a dream… but she knew it hadn't. She felt him in her arms the whole night; the way his torso moved with his sleep breaths and how his arms held her closed to him. Disappointment rose within her. He had left without saying anything; and Newton was a traitor because he didn't bark when he left. She was beginning to think the worst when she reached for her phone on the coffee table and saw a paper note over it with the printed _Bridgerton_ 's bee logo. There was a phone number and, at the very top of the paper, a "I had to go early, but I didn't want to disturb your sleep. I could have spent the day next to you watching your peaceful face, but I really had to go. I didn't want to leave before letting you know it, somehow. Please, please, call me when you wake up. Love, your Anthony."

Kate dialled the number and in less than two beats, his voice sounded from the other side of the line.

"Good morning, Kate." _Did she feel how his voice showed relief?_

"Why were you so confident this is me and that I would call straight away?" She frowned, a bit amused but nervous at the same time. He had left, after all, and she could still face something she didn't want to face...

"Because I owe you an explanation and you really wanted to check if this is my real number phone. Funny how we would communicate via email, but never got each other's number phone." Anthony smugly sentenced. _This bastard knows me well_ , Kate thought and chuckled. Before she could say anything, he continued. "I'm sorry I said nothing to you earlier, but I had to go and I feel terrible for not having said anything. But as the note said, you were beautifully, peacefully sleeping, and I didn't want to do anything that stopped that."

"Right…" Kate said, suddenly lacking confidence.

"I had to drive Gregory to a football game early in the morning and I woke up in a rush. I had to stop first at my flat before picking him up at Bridgerton House and then heading to St. Albans. Quite a ride to be honest." He kept explaining. Kate could distinguish some cheerings and apparent trainers' commands from the background sound. "I don't like the fact I left without talking about yesterday… and perhaps you're doubting about it and me and all that stuff. I don't want you to feel that, because whatever your doubts are telling you, they're not real. I hate to tell you this by phone but I need you to know: yesterday meant a lot for me, Kate. It really did. It was the best date-non-date I have ever had in my life and I have never felt like that in my life. I talked about things with you I rarely talk about with anybody and I felt understood and embraced and liked. And I felt the same thing towards you, Kate; I don't want you to think otherwise. I'd like to give us an opportunity. But only if you want."

Kate felt her chest warmed with his words. She knew he rarely spoke about his feelings, Colin and Penelope had told her about it many times before and she even had experienced that a couple of times when they were becoming friends. She knew he struggled to open up and, behind his serious character, hid a person who struggled with his feelings, not wanting to disturb others with his worries. Not that Kate wasn't at the end of the day that different from him, but she voiced them more frequently than him to her loved ones. Hearing him say all that lifted Kate confidence again and cleared all her doubts: he trusted in her; he considered her an essential part of him. He really wanted to try this out… and she was willing to do it too.

"I want it too." Kate whispered, but with a confidence she didn't know she had for this, apparently, new state in their relationship. "I do want to try it too, Anthony. But I want to speak this face to face, not via phone." 

"I want the same, dear Kate." Anthony agreed. "Gregory's game will end in forty minutes, and it would take me almost an hour and a half more to drive back to London from here, but would you like to meet for lunch? I know a place near my flat you'd love" Anthony asked, hopefully.

"Sure I want to, Anthony. But only if Gregory wins. I want to celebrate his victory" she teased.

"Oh, don't worry about it. It is two-null to his team; I think it will end with a couple more goals in favour. Victory is assured, then. We'll celebrate it as you'd like."

"Is that a promise?" Kate questioned coquettish.

"It's a fact, Kate. With you it's always facts." Anthony affirmed and Kate's heart beat faster, feeling her body full of life as it had never been before. "I see you in a couple of hours, right?" Anthony confirmed.

"Yes. It's a date. A real date." Kate said and bid him farewell. She rose from the sofa and headed to get ready for what, she didn't know yet, was going to be the beginning of her new life with Anthony by her side.


	2. The Right Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't supposed to have written this... But here I am, with a second (and FINAL) part. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have done writing it. I can't wait for Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey and their Kate and Anthony.
> 
> As usual, this is not beta read and English is not my first language, so I'm sorry for any error or mistake I had made. ❤️
> 
> Before the chapter, I must say...
> 
> TW: Offensive language. Racism.
> 
> Disclaimer: Despite I've tried to inform myself about it in order to make Kate as close as I could to Kate Sharma, I have got no idea about Desi Culture or haven't found something to say "this sounds right"; and that's a pity because I love to have got, at least, a basis on any culture so I can avoid stereotypes and give the recognition and respect any culture must have. Besides, I don't know even if I'm messing it up by using the term "Desi" here, so I'm sorry if I'm doing something to offend anybody out there… that's not my intention at all and I'd gladly change and modify anything if asked (but, please, along with an explanation because I do really want to learn). So that's why I have created this background story for Kate, to not mess it up completely (too tragic now I've come to realise).
> 
> I hope this makes sense. I don’t want to be “the white girl telling people about others without knowing”. I do really want to represent diversity because white people are not alone in the world, and we are so lucky to share this planet with so many extraordinary people and cultures... but I do not want to insult, discriminate or make anyone uncomfortable with things I just don't know because I'm uninformed about. So, I hope this Kate Sheffield, with all the features of a Desi girl, makes sense to you all.
> 
> By the way, the song they “sing” is 'As I am', by Declan Welsh & the Decadent West, one of my favourite romantic songs ever.

Kate sat in front of the opened portfolio with Daphne and Eloise’s sketches for the next Autumn/Winter season (the first collection made with recycled materials and fabrics from previous collections and other clothes, giving _Bridgerton_ a new direction in the designs without losing its essence), and the notes made by the team in the marketing department. Apparently, that’s what her new post as Chief of the department required: to revise, make suggestions, approve and be the spokesperson of the team’s work before its final approval by the boss… aka Anthony Bridgerton, her boyfriend. 

When Arnold, the former Chief of _Bridgerton_ ’s Marketing Department retired a year ago, it was democratically chosen by the team that Kate took up his post. At first, she refused; not because she didn’t know her value (in fact, she appreciated so much that the team praised and trusted in her work that well), but because she didn’t want her relationship with the CEO of the firm conditioned anything involving her professional life. Yes, since the very first second their relationship became official almost four years ago, Kate had worked double and triple to show she wasn’t treated differently to the rest of her workmates because she was dating their boss, but that doubt would always be there in every step she made. However, the team (even Arnold himself) told her they trusted in her and her work: firstly, they knew her and her work and ideas and everyone liked it, she was an excellent leader and had demonstrated it several times since her hiring almost six years ago; and secondly, they had known the very beginning of the story between her and Anthony to what they were now, and if the relationship sadly came to an end (yes, the team were “ _Team Kanthony_ ” since Argument Number One because all of them, except oblivious Kate and Anthony, were aware of their mutual attraction) they knew how professional both of them were. So, if Kate were worried about something, she must know that the team appreciated her both as person and professional. It’s needless to say that Anthony, once he received in his inbox an email which could be summarised as “we want Kate Sheffield as our Chief”, accepted such a petition (gifting her for Christmas that year, a hand-made pencil pot for her office with a " _Good Chief; Better Boss_ " made by Anthony himself; together with a beautiful ring that Kate never took off after that day. For a while, _Lady Whistledown_ spread the rumours they were about to tie the knot, but since neither of the people involved and their families and friends affirmed such a statement, the supposed wedding plans were soon forgotten).

So, there she was, with the portfolio and notes in front of her, her notebook opened making her own notes and a frown in her face reading what one of the anonymous members of the team (they worked that way: the team suggested different ideas anonymously and, once the best were chosen, they said who the author was) had said.

“A pair of trousers for old and young women.” Kate murmured while analysing the piece. The trousers were wide leg with a 70s print vibe in blue shades perfect for Autumn; quite bohemian. She would wear it, and Edwina if it were her style; Hyacinth and Eloise would definitely wear them. Pen wouldn’t because it’s not her style but she would like them on other people… “But I can’t picture Mary, least Violet, wearing them; frankly not people over forty… So, ‘old’ is out.” she murmured again and wrote it in her notebook. She rubbed her temples and checked the hour: almost one in the evening, without having eaten a bite since eight in the morning; considering coffee as "a bite". She considered going herself to one of the shops next to the offices to grab some food, stretch her legs and come back to work; but it would take her time she hasn't got at the moment. 

“Klaus”, Kate contacted the marketing dept assistant through the landline “would you be so kind and grab me my usual sandwich from _Kester’s_ , please? And Coca-Cola Zero, please. I’ll give you the money when you bring it.”

Klaus chuckled (which Kate found a bit rude) “It’s on its way, Miss Sheffield.”

“Oh, thank you, then.” She thanked him confusedly.

It only took five seconds since she ended the call and leant back in her chair when the door from her office opened and closed.

“How many times must I tell you to knock before getting in?” Kate said, with her eyes closed, smelling his scent and something that seemed food.

“Technically this office much more mine than yours.” Anthony answered smugly, seeing how Kate rolled her eyes despite them being shut.

“Still, you must knock on the doors of my office before entering. What if I’m in a meeting; or worse, undressed?”

“Why would you be undressed in your office and without me to see it?” Anthony asked back while taking a seat next to her, a playful glint in his eyes that didn’t pass inadvertently for Kate when she received a small peak in the lips. _We'll continue our morning plans tonight_ , she mentally noted.

“Believe me, your sisters consider me their mannequin”, she said while she cleaned a bit her desk for Anthony to put the food he brought with him there. “ _‘Kate, can you try this blouse?’, ‘Do you think this skirt is too long? Try it a bit, you’re tall’_.” She mimicked his sisters and both laughed. “I do it gladly, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes they can be tiring.”

“Simon says just the same about Daphne, and he hadn’t confirmed it yet but I think little Amelia pleads for mercy with her gaze to Simon when her mother is trying something on her. Poor child." He affirmed and Kate agreed. "By the way, that red blouse flatters you very much, my dear; and the skirt too. And your hair looks today lovely; I love all of it. And I love you.” Anthony added.

“Oh, my…” She blushed. She was used to Anthony complimenting her and sending her flowers to her office and house weekly (something his father used to do with his mother, so he decided to keep the tradition up with Kate, changing the hyacinths for tulips and lavender), but she still got deliciously nervous when she was the focus of someone's attention; especially Anthony. “You look nice too today.” He had a dark grey suit and matching vest, with a white shirt, the cufflinks and the tie pin with their initials she gifted him last Christmas and the dark blue tie Mary and Edwina gifted him that same Christmas too. “Yes, only nice, Mr. Bridgerton. You know who is the only beautiful person here.” she winked flirty and made him openly laugh ( _Now he's the beautiful one in the room,_ Kate thought). “Anyways, what did you bring?” Kate opened the bag and saw the cardboard boxes.

“ _Malai kofta_ for you, _tandoori_ chicken for me and rice to share. And Coca-Cola Zero for both of us”, said with a kind smile; the one that melted Kate’s heart and made her fall for him harder.

“That’s so nice of you, Anthony” she leant a bit and gave him a long grateful peck in his cheek. “Have you given to Anand and Asha a nice tip too?”

“I did; and they send you their blessings.” Anthony sensed a subtle shift of attitude in her and inquired “Hey, what’s the matter?”

Kate hated her transparency with him sometimes. “Just… nothing.” He frowned and Kate couldn’t hide, “It’s just- sometimes I feel I'm not who I'm supposed to be, especially with people like them… It’s not that I don't identify myself at all as Desi - I mean, look at me and my dark hair, my dark skin, and my biological parents!-; but… it's so distant to what I am... I don’t know if I make sense.”

Kate has got Indian roots: if tracked down, the vast majority of her ancestors were born in India. However, her father's mother (who came from a poor family in an unknown place in India, as she never said it) fell in love and married an English man called Robert Sheffield. They moved to Somerset, where they raised their only son in the occidental culture and only gave him only bits of her own culture, as she, or so she believed, wanted to give him a better life in what she believed was the "land of opportunities". She died when Kate's father was eighteen. Kate's father Albert Miles Sheffield (an entrepreneur, creating from scratch a successful supermarket line in some towns and cities in Somerset) at the age of twenty-eight married an Indian girl called Priya Sharma (a mathematician working at Bath University against her family's will) that made him be closer with his Desi roots, even though Priya was raised in the UK too. When Kate was born, their plans were to raise her as culturally as possible they could. But fate had other plans: Priya died in a car accident and then her father met an white English woman (Mary), so he taught his wife and daughters the very basics he knew about Indian culture specifically thanks to Priya (cuisine and regional clothes, mainly and unfortunately; as he didn't know the language or any expression), none of them fully sticking to them... Sure they would follow Priya's fully detailed recipes book so that something at least wasn't completely lost, but still. That's why Kate considered herself more occidental than oriental; distant to her origins. Mary tried to introduce her and Edwina bits of their roots the best she could, but she wasn't enough; Mary was born and raised in England, with her own traditions she, of course, knew better how to transmit after all, as she knew how to practice them. Kate didn't blame anyone on this, but she had been tagged since she was born on something she didn't feel she belonged to, and had no one to learn from. Of course she read and investigated, only on her own; Edwina too young to do anything (but starting now, in her university phase, to question herself). If she adopted anything, the smallest thing, to her life, she would feel she's doing something she spiritually and culturally shouldn't; as if she were appropriating the culture.

“You do; at least to me.” Anthony said, taking the wooden cutlery and giving one to Kate before taking the rice box and tossing it with the chicken and some lemon juice without losing Kate's line of thought. "And if you talk to them you will see they do too. They'll be happy to help you out."

"I know, but… I'm embarrassed… of asking them such a thing. How a girl like me asks about such things? It must be so disappointing and shameful for them" Kate said, looking at her hands.

"No, Kate, you shouldn't be and they won't be" Anthony took her hands in one of his and lifted her face to look at him in the eyes. "You're not the first person to experience that thing. What about all those who know nothing about their roots and haven't got the slightest opportunity to learn; or worse, they have got it but don't want to learn at all? You have that opportunity; take it, because you desire to take it! I know you, and you wouldn't do anything to insult or hurt them. That culture is part of you too, Kate, and you deserve to know. It will not change who you are, but it will improve you and will fill a void inside you. Anand and Asha would love to help you; I bet they will be flattered by you reaching out to them because you trust them. So talk to them, Kate, and allow yourself to know you.”

“Seems sensible...” She whispered, relying her face to Anthony's open palm, which was now caressing her cheek. "I think you're right… I may talk to them sooner than later. Thank you for supporting me in this. It means a lot." 

"I will do anything that makes you happy, Kate. Anything." He said and leant to kiss her, to transmit his love and support for her

"You know", she added once they finished the kiss and began to eat, "I had been thinking for a while to go to this Hindu temple in London on a free day… Just to start from somewhere. The only thing I know for sure about my parents is that they weren't too religious and wanted to raise me free of thought, as he finally did alongside Mary; but I think my grandmother should have been religious… I don't know if she was a Protestant before marrying my grandfather, or on the contrary if she was a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu; I have to start somewhere to be close… Anyways it is something I had wanted to do since I moved here, but never went to the temple at the end, so I kinda forgot the idea. Then, when I met Anand and Asha, the idea came again and I haven't stopped thinking about it… But a _special someone_ has kept me busy and then I have postponed the trip several times." She mischievously grinned, infecting Anthony to smile too at the implications. "But I will do as you told me now with Anand and Asha, and I will make it a priority; so I do not reach them empty minded."

"That's an explendid idea," Anthony agreed. "Do you want to go by yourself? It's not that I assume you need someone to walk this important path alongside because you need it. I know how capable you are of pursuing your goals; but just in case you need it, I am here for you. And, whatever you learn, I want to learn it too, to understand." He said sincerely.

"Oh, I was assuming all the time you would come with me." Kate looked at him, startled at how the hell he excluded himself from such a thing. Yes, eventually she would need to walk by herself without him, but for the very first steps, in spite of her being the one starting it, she wanted her boyfriend there.

"Well, I want to give you your freedom."

"And I know I have it, Anthony. But I want you here with me, unless I ask you the opposite."

"Alright, then" Anthony took her hand and squeezed it, bringing it to his mouth and kissing it. "When do you want to start, then?"

"Let me see." She grabbed her agenda and looked at the appointments she had. "This weekend is impossible; it's your niece Ame-"

" _Our_ niece" Anthony gently corrected Kate. They weren't married, but Kate was already such an important member of the Bridgerton family (as Anthony was of the Sheffield family) that it, sometimes, kind of upset Anthony that she excluded herself sometimes from them. Everyone in his family loved her, even before he realised he was in love with her; and when he told his family he had been honoured to be Kate's boyfriend Violet almost threw a large party to celebrate their relationship and to officially welcome her to the family (instead, the family celebrated Anthony and Kate with a copious dinner at Aubrey Hall, her first time in the house).

"Our niece" Kate repeated, rolling her eyes and a little smirk "Amelia's fourth birthday party on Sunday… and I had agreed to meet Pen and Sophie on Saturday already for the birthday present's hunt."

"The three in laws by themselves? That's a menace." Anthony teased, and Kate swatted him in the chest. "Last time you were with these two, Daphne and your sister alone, you ended up with a broken leg!" He reminded Kate, with a small smile; her screams when the bone was placed again so it could heal well still haunted Anthony in his worst nightmares.

"It was an accident almost two years ago and we weren't totally alone; you were ahead with your brothers and Simon talking about something when I couldn't avoid the ball that child threw to the tire of my bike and then I tried to stop it with the tree. And I have been alone with them plenty of times after the accident and I'm alive, if I may recall."

"Still. Anyway, I can't on Saturday either; Benedict wants me and Colin to help him select his best paintings for his exposition. I'm happy Sophie is finally present in his life; I doubt he would ever do something like that if she hadn't encouraged him." 

"He just needed someone's encouragement from someone who wasn't blood-related and loves him that much. I can say it is something similar to what is happening to me." She acknowledged Edwina's attempts to convince Kate to learn about their culture. "When is the exposition, then? I think I haven't written it down."

"In two weeks, the seventh and eighth of June. Which reminds me… can I?" Anthony asked before taking the agenda and, with Kate's approval, moved the pages until the previous weekend to Benedict's exposition. "We can't go during the Spring bank holiday either because we have to go to Aubrey Hall."

"Whatever for?" Kate asked.

"I was going to tell you tonight; the details aren't sorted out until this afternoon, but it's sort of official. You remember Daph, Eloise and I are going to be interviewed for the _British Vogue_ , don't you? But we weren't sure when it was going to take place."

"Yes, you said something about the business' origins and how it had managed, for a very fancy _prêt à porter_ firm, to be successful after all these years" Kate provided, putting two and two together.

"Correct. It's next Friday… after the photoshoot." 

"Oh, so you're going to be photographed for the interview? My, I'm dating a model" she joked.

"And you will also participate in that photoshoot, my dearest" Anthony shot back, making Kate's teasing grin fade away.

"I- I… what? Anthony! I can't- how-? Why?" She incoherently rambled with a pitched voice.

"It's actually Daphne's idea. Since the Spring/Summer collection is out, she said it would be sensible for the Bridgerton themselves to be photographed with the clothes of our firm. I don't disagree with her… she's right, despite not fancying very much the idea."

"And why do I have to be there too?" She said.

"Because you're my girlfriend, and our partners are going to participate too: Pen, Simon, Sophie, I think Philip too… All of them! It will only be two days, starting Thursday and ending Friday. We don't have to be there until Friday morning; I think someone can cover you on Friday if that's your concern." He answered, a bit surprised and bothered with Kate's reaction.

"But all of you are-"

"Don't you dare to say we are more attractive or beautiful or whatever other thing, because we have had this conversation many times before: you, Katherine Grace Sheffield, are the most ravishing and radiant person in this whole planet. And now that we have the opportunity, I want to show to the rest of the world how lucky I am to be the boyfriend of this goddess who also happens to be one of the most intelligent people on earth as well as a key role in _Bridgerton_ as the Chief of the Marketing Department." Kate blushed again that noon. Anthony kept saying: "I don't like it either, but I think I will have a great time with my family and my girlfriend, which is what matters the most to me. And I know the photographer; she has worked for us and is a great professional. See this: it's a fantastic strategy of marketing; if the Bridgerton themselves wear their own clothes, the rest will follow up." Kate hummed, agreeing with it; although she was a bit bothered too, such a good idea never occurred to her. "If it really upsets you, makes you uncomfortable, and/or intimidates you, then don't do it. I understand and I don't want to put you in a difficult situation. I promise I won't push you and neither will my family. But only if it's going to make you anxious."

Kate considered in silence, without looking at him, under Anthony's gaze. Anthony would never encourage her to do anything he knew it would really harm her, physically or mentally. And a couple of pictures, with some of the people she cared the most, wouldn't hurt her. "How many pictures will we take?" She asked.

"I'm not sure, but we are quite a bunch… perhaps three or four? I'm not pressuring you, you know?"

"I know… Is Violet going to be there too?"

"Yes, she will; and Robert." Robert Allen, the owner of one of the most important automobiles' brands in the UK and Violet Bridgerton's romantic partner. They met in one of those parties Violet usually attended a year later Kate and Anthony began dating; both in common to be widowed. Despite the Bridgerton siblings being reticent with this pairing at first (as all of them, even the smallest ones, had got their father's presence and memory very present in their lives), once they saw how happy their mother was with this man they, little by little, approved of him. And, for Anthony's sake (as he had been the closest to Edmund Bridgerton after his mother), he could say Robert _isn't a twat and my mother and he love the other good, which is enough_. Robert even helped Anthony out with a thing or two about the company's management and, sometimes, with his relationship with Kate if Anthony seemed a tad lost. During one of their conversations, both men alone at Aubrey Hall, Robert made clear he wasn't going to substitute their father and didn't intend to -he had met Edmund Bridgerton before and appreciated him very much to fault his and his children's respect-, but he wanted to act as one if any of the siblings needed it. That won Anthony's heart (and Kate's and the rest of the Bridgerton) for the man.

"Then they'll throw one of those parties they fancy so much -and even though we hate to say so, we also like a lot- to celebrate the family doing something extraordinary together." Kate reasoned, actually liking the idea.

"Indeed; that's the second part of the trip to Aubrey Hall." Anthony provided. They remained in silence for a couple of minutes, Anthony patiently waiting for her answer and Kate deep in thought considering whether to do the shoot or not.

"I'll do it." She finally said. "I mean… l love the collection, and I have worn it several times now; it won't be too different. But I have got conditions." She warmed seriously, pointing her index finger to him. He smirked; he knew she was very serious and shouldn't smile, but she was overly cute when she did so.

"Enlighten me."

"If I don't like any of the pictures they take of me, I won't appear in the magazine. Is that clear?"

"It is." He took the finger and kissed the tip, then her palm and then the inside of her wrist. Kate relaxed a bit.

"You're too kissy today, Mr. Bridgerton", she stated.

"Because I would love to continue what we left unconcluded this morning; but duty calls for both of us." Kate checked the hour again, remembering her frustration now he had mentioned their interrupted love-making session that morning because of Newton's walking hour (making them being late to work, as a consequence).

"A quarter to three?" She said surprised.

"I'm afraid so" he raised from his seat and cleaned the empty boxes. "I'll send Janet to take the empty boxes back to Anand and Asha. Do you want to send them with Janet our telephone numbers, to be in contact?"

"That would be great. And if she can bring us their number, so I can call them, it would be perfect." She suggested.

"As you wish. We'll appoint tonight our visit to the temple, right?." She nodded from her seat with soft eyes. "So, I'm leaving now. A kiss before I go?"

"You're not going to war, Anthony." She teased, raising from her chair and walking with him to the door, before stopping him and giving another long kiss and a hug. "Thank you, for everything."

"Anything for you, my love. Remember that I burn for you." Anthony reminded her, hugging her back.

Anthony broke the hug and kissed her again before stepping out of her office. "See you later." He shouted when he was near Klaus' desk, actually far from her office.

She could help the big and beaming grin in her face.

🌷🐝🌷

Next Thursday night after work, Kate found herself in front of her bed, already in her pyjamas (some pyjamas shorts and an old Anthony's t-shirt), with the suitcase opened and half of her personal clothes collection on the bed, her hair half dried and half damp. Anthony was taking a shower after having walked Newton. He claimed he hated that beast, but Kate would swear he loved the animal much more he cared to admit. She had prepared dinner (roast chicken and mashed potatoes) and had a shower meanwhile Anthony walked Newton, so she could pack the clothes with which she would wear the following days. Luckily for them, the clothes for the photoshoot would be provided by _Bridgerton_ , so it meant her luggage would be less heavy; but she added two or three of her favourites from the collection, just in case. However, she didn't know what else to choose.

The bathroom door opened and Anthony stepped out of the bathroom, already in his pyjamas (a pair of grey shorts and a white t-shirt), drying his hair with a towel. He entered the room and stopped beside Kate.

"There's no- are you taking all of that?" He asked, eyes wide open.

"Of course not; don't be silly." She answered. "I'm deciding what to pack."

"This dress is nice." Anthony indicated. It was a long cocktail summer dress, a special design made by his sister Eloise for Kate, in a toasted-cream-coloured satin fabric with the front and back necklines in V shape, with an elegant pattern of flowers in lilac, maroon, pale pink and white which made her brown skin (all of her, in fact) glow. It was Anthony's favourite of all of her formal dresses, having seen her wear it only twice: for one of his colleagues at Oxford's wedding and for her best friend's wedding in Somerset; both weddings the previous summer. He kept remembering how magnetising and radiant and magical Kate looked on that dress, and had silently prayed for another occasion for her wearing it again. No-one was supposed to shade someone's wedding, but for Anthony, Kate was the only protagonist, as if she was actually the bride (but much more beautiful). He had teased her several times that, for him, she would be still the most perfect and beautiful human being even if she wore a rubbish bag; but Kate on that dress was on a higher league for him.

"Do you think this is good for a night party dress?"

"It is. And if it isn't, who cares?"

"I do; I don't want to look ridiculous and shame your family."

"You're already ridiculous and my family loves you for it, dear." Anthony said happily and kidding. Kate didn't laugh. "You have attended plenty of my family's parties already. Why this sudden insecurity?"

"I think it's the photoshoot… and the scrutiny after it."

"Kate, remember you don't have to do it if you don't want to." Anthony reminded her.

"Yes, yes, I know and I want to." Kate assured him by squeezing his hands. "I told you on our first date/non-date: I have always felt the "less attractive sister, with a weird accent"; and suddenly knowing I'm going to be on the cover of one of the most important magazines worldwide, in an article about the clothing firm I work for, together with this attractive and important family I don't know surely yet how I became part of... it just feels a bit out of place. Not that I don't know my value, or I would change who I am after that, or consciously do something that would shame your family's name when they are the loveliest, but still. So, there's this bit of pressure."

"None of us are magazine people and we don't pursue it, Kate. For most of us it's our first time too and we are a tad nervous too; any of us Bridgerton can mess it up! We are not that special people. But I think I get you: we have faced and been talked about in the media several times, and we couldn't care less what they say about us because the people who love us and we love know how we are; and the most you've been discussed by someone, it has been on _Lady Whistledown_ . But they have been nice to you, naming you a gem and other lovely things; call yourself lucky you are in their favours. I think no-one, absolutely no-one, has been described that favourable in that influential _Lady Whistledown._ You have also made them like me! Believe me, once they see this interview and pictures, you will be where you should always be: on a pedestal" He smiled and squeezed their joined hands. "But, againl, the rest of us are going to be in the same place as you are: our first time in an important magazine- well, except Simon, which is part of his job; but not all of us can be him, can't we?"

"Do you feel insecure around him, Anthony?" Kate asked incredulously, after Anthony having rushed that last rhetorical question.

"Sometimes; it's something I haven't dealt with in a couple of years, and it had even flattered once we started our relationship… But sometimes it just strikes. He was the most good-looking boy at school and, whenever we were out in our teens and we began to _like_ girls, he was the lucky one." Anthony confessed. Kate still looked at him incredulous: _how this attractive and handsome and beautiful man feels insecure about his looks?_ . "I mean, I wasn't unlucky, but he was the handsome and the hot one, and me the best mate of the handsome and hot one. And I still am and I'm proud of it. Yet, sometimes I can't help but say _'if I looked half as good as Simon…'_."

"In a world full of Simons, I would always choose you: with those dimples, those wrinkles, greyish hair in your temples and white arse. And that personality between the best man any girl could ask for and a complete and stupid dickhead" Kate affirmed firmly; and Anthony chuckled. "Those girls were stupidly young to see how breathtaking you were; but I guess that makes me even luckier to be with you. I have seen photos and listened to many stories of your youth from you and your family to know how you were and how he grew and matured into this fantastic man I have by my side. Only for the better; or worse, depending how you see it." She joked. "But still, I'd choose you over and over again. And probably I wouldn't have paid any attention to you if you looked like your brother in law; because I don't want him, I want you."

"So, fuck what others have to say, once again?" He grabbed her hips and pulled her closer, her arms tangled in his neck.

"Fuck them." Kate confirmed and kissed him. The kiss deepened and heated, but Kate had to stop it, to their dismay. "If I want to finish this early tonight, we should stop now." She murmured, pouting, and Anthony groaned agreeing with her. "Did you pack your things?" She changed the topic, to ease the flame that they started in the glimpse of half a second.

"I did it this morning, when you were asleep. Perks of sleeping at mine, I guess."

"Right…" 

"That reminds me, we have to buy my shampoo; I just finished it." He said sitting in the chair of her room, at the same time Newton arrived to be with his masters and Anthony took Newton to pet his furry belly.

"No, we don't. We bought one last Friday; remember? After dining at _Nando's_ -by the way, thanks again for indulging me and taking me there-, we went to _Superdrug_ and bought half of the bathroom products we needed." 

"That was for my place."

"Does it? I'm positive it was for here. Have you looked on the cabinets?" Kate said, finally deciding on what to pack and folding the selected pieces (most of them dresses, some jeans, some t-shirts and blouses for the day, and of course the pyjamas -just in case one of his siblings decided to pay a sudden visit at night, as they were prone to do so-, the lingerie, and the shoes and accessories; weather was perfect that last week of May and Kate needed to feel the sun and good weather as much as she could in her body).

"I did, and that's when I remembered that you have been living at mine for almost two years straight and we are here tonight because you needed to pack the things that aren't at mine yet. Which reminds me, again, my football t-shirt is in the other room's wardrobe and I have to take it for tomorrow, in case I practice some shots with Gregory this weekend."

"Oh." was all what Kate said once she realised he was right. _It's now or never_ , Kate thought. "Anthony… have you ever thought about… in all our time together...?" She didn't finish her question.

"Thought about what?"

"Moving in, together?"

Anthony looked at her astonished, stopping rubbing Newton's tummy. Not in a negative way; rather positive one. "Oh."

"Practically we're already doing it, you know? It's something I've been wondering for a while: how haven't we moved in together already? I know we have got this routine and we like it… but you know? Both of us officially settled, together, in one particular place. I can't remember when was the last time we _lived_ here; and it is my place and I pay the rent for it!" Kate kept saying, moving to where Anthony was and kneeling before him, so both of them were at the same height for visual contact. "Half of my things are at yours already, as you have said; and the wardrobe in the other room is filled with your clothes and half of my bathroom cabinets have some of your utilities and whenever I have to do the shopping for here I say _'I must buy this or that too because Anthony likes it or needs it'_ . We are just sharing two flats. And whenever I come back, to your place or here, from my weekly girls' night with my marketing pals, and I see you and Newton together on the sofa waiting for me, to ask me completely sleepy how my night has been, I just cannot help thinking _"I like this so much more than I care to admit."_ And then I just wake up next to you, and despite we have argued the previous night or are vexed with the other for whatever reason, I'm convinced I want to sha-"

Anthony stopped her nervous rambling with a kiss, startling Newton who was half asleep in his lap and instantly jumped to free himself of his masters’ embrace.

"Anthony, don't hush-" Kate tried to speak again, but once more she was silenced with a kiss.

"We are moving in together, finally!" He just excitedly murmured.

"But let's first decide where and when!" She giggled, as blithe and joyful as he was.

"Well, you weren't the only one thinking on this…" Anthony said and took his phone out of the pocket of his shorts and scrolled his phone. Kate scolded, confused. "I was going to ask you just for this, to finally move in together, once the estate agents confirmed it to me but... Look."

Kate took the phone and saw what Anthony was looking for a few seconds ago: it was a house. A big, Victorian style house, all white with a black door, big windows, and flower pots of all shapes and sizes in its entrance (without flowers, though). The front of the house had a fence, a garage and even an almond tree, and the tiles of the short path that lead to the main door were too in black and white.

"Swipe to the right." Anthony indicated, watching close Kate's eyes and face, wary himself of her reaction.

She did as told, and with each photo she fell in love harder for that house. "Anthony… what's this?" She asked, flabbergasted.

"It's a house, you ninny. I thought of you being intelligent enough to know what a house looks like." He winded up, to make them laugh, as both of them were overwhelmed with emotion. "If everything goes as planned, that is going to be our house in a couple of days. It's supposed to be ready for us to bring our things on the ninth of June, a day after Ben's exposition. I wanted to take you there, when the house was empty and cleaned after the remodellings, to have a look and ask you to move in with me; but you are always a few steps ahead of me. And I love it." He grinned, looking at his phone, not noticing Kate was already crying. "Look, we could get a library, and separate officines if you want, and enough rooms to invite your sister, or your mother or whoever you want… Little Amelia; Gregory and Hyacinth if they want to escape from school or my mother…" _Enough rooms for our children,_ Anthony really wanted to say, but refrained; _Step by step… Both of us want children one day, but now is still soon_. "And there's a garden, not so big but enough for a cozy barbecue and friends gathering if weather permits, and for Newton run or do whatever he pleases."

"This must cost a lot." Kate shakily uttered, sniffing hard to calm her happy tears. "Can you really allow this? And what about your flat? If I'm going to live with you, let me help pay for the mortgage or something. It's not fair for me to live there for free." She looked again at the phone, a picture of the main bedroom, with an adjacent dressing room enough for both of them, with a smile plastered in her face.

Anthony laughed; he didn't expect less as her answer. "It does cost a lot; lots of zeros. But a few years ago, before meeting you, I decided to save part of my salary. I didn't know what for: I already had got the most greedy post a person can have in their jobs, a nice flat in the West End, a nice car, and I just lived quite a comfortable life; but I did it anyways. It's like some part of me knew that I would use it sensibly in the future instead of wasting it on things I didn't need. It isn't enough money to pay all at once, but enough to say _'It's almost mine'_ ; so, I’ll pay each month what the banks, the agents and my personal financial advisors tell me... And I sold my flat." 

Kate's gaze moved from the phone to his eyes. "You sold your flat? Why? I love that place!"

"That's not what you said the first time I took you there." He teased and was swatted in the arm by Kate. "Yes, I sold it; this last Wednesday precisely we signed the papers. If I'm moving to another place, why would I keep my flat? And more money I can invest in this house"

"Who bought it?"

"Henry Granville."

"Henry? Ben's…?"

"Ben's art mentor and sponsor himself."

"Wow…"

"He's finally divorcing, and needs a place to live."

"It was high time; I guess having a crush on your brother made things quicker."

"It did. He's a great chap, to be honest, and has helped Ben a great deal with his art… I just pity he had to hide his true nature for so long. Soon-to-be ex Mrs. Grandville is happy for them too, as she can finally be with her lover and Henry can live the life he deserves."

Kate agreed. "And where's this house?"

"Holland Park."

"That's quite posh too. You and your tendency to boast of money." She confirmed, but liking where the place was.

"I know, but it's a good place; quite cosmopolitan. In the house to the right, lives a woman from Colombia with her daughter; and to the left lives an old couple from Poland. I haven't visited it myself yet, but it's what the real estate agents informed me." 

"I see… and how can I contribute to the payment of this?" Kate asked again.

"That's not really-"

"It is for me. I want to contribute, Anthony. My promotion, if you remember, was accompanied by a salary rise which allows me to pay for this place and my life here and keep investing in my family's business. If it is only one penny I can give so that I don't become broke, then it's a penny; and if it is £1000, then £1000. But since it's going to be my place too, I'm going to pay for it as much as it is needed. Decoration of the place included."

Anthony, with a straight face he only reserved for work, stretched his hand for Kate to shake and when she did so between laughs, he murmured, dropping his voice in that way that always woke Kate's body "It's a pleasure to do business with you, Miss Sheffield. So, let’s finish this agreement with a proper toast, shall we?"

It's needless to say that they had got dinner late that night and Kate finished packing at four in the morning, after celebrating, like newly weds, their new step in their relationship.

🐝🌷🐝

They overslept the next morning, so they barely had breakfast and quickly got dressed and grabbed all the things they intended to take to Aubrey Hall. The drive (two hours and a half) was incredibly short for Kate, who swapped a few minutes of sleep with singing at the top of her lungs her favourite rock songs (something that surprised Anthony a lot when he learnt about it: Kate was the happiest when a song by _Muse_ or _AC/DC_ was played; as he expected her to like the kind of music his sisters fancy the most and not be that proximant to his personal likes). Anthony, on the contrary, felt well rested for the little amount of sleeping hours he had. If there were traits of tiredness in his face, he guessed make-up and then edition would erase it. And that his face was radiant after the previous night sex (just as Kate's).

Once they arrived (late, receiving both scoldings and knowing looks from his family), they were led to the right wing of the house, the one next to the gardens, where the make-up and clothing members were waiting for them. It wasn't the first time Kate visited Aubrey Hall, but she still felt overwhelmed with it: so elegant and sophisticated, in which details of English Regency architecture mixed with those of modern times, reminding of the house's time of splendour and grandeur and the importance of the family it belonged to. And Kate just happened to be there; a girl from the middle-low class involved with the elite. Anthony took her hands and gave them a reassuring kiss, asking without words if she was ok and ready. She just nodded and gave the best of her smiles despite her nerves.

The shoot was one of the funniest things the Bridgerton family and their partners had ever done in their lives. The photography team were friendly and professional, and knew how to get the best of that loud, large family, capturing in an image the small details perfectly. Kate finally hadn't had to wear the clothes she packed, as Eloise prepared for each member their favourites (which combined perfectly with the ones of their partners). Pictures were taken of her alone, with her sisters and mother in law, with the rest of the members of the family, with Newton, and, mostly, with Anthony. She didn't see much of them, but she knew which one was going to be printed and put in her beautiful new home and framed on her office: it was Anthony and her, in the _Lovers' Garden_ (named so after an scandal involving an ancestor of Anthony, his future beloved wife, and a bee), sitting on a blanket between the tulips and this big tree which made a beautiful light and shadows effect that was magical; where they were laughing at something he had said to her, Newton was running happily to them from somewhere, and she was held in his arms from behind. If Kate ever doubted her beauty, that picture made her forget those doubts: never, ever, in her life had she seen herself like that; so free, so full of life, so full of love… and loved and adored in return. To say that the man that held her carefully, as if he was holding the most precious treasure in the world, didn't contribute to her happiness, was the most horrible and ugliest of lies. She didn't depend on him entirely, and didn't he depend on her, to be free and be the person she wanted to be with her own goals and convictions. But they chose to share their lives in glory and sorrow, their joys and worries, their achievements and their wounds with the other and help the other to improve as individuals and as a couple, day after day, as long as what destiny had in store for them and come what it may. That was enough to keep trying and fighting together.

Later, after lunch, when Anthony, Daphne and Eloise were interviewed in the master's office, Kate unpacked their things in their chamber, had a rest, called Mary and Eddie and finally got to the drawing room to have a tea and a chat with the members of the family which weren't resting or doing something else (that is, Violet and Robert, Colin and Penelope, Sophie, and Francesca). She got updated news of each of them as well as she informed of herself, Anthony and her family in Somerset, laughed and teased the only way she knew of Gregory and Hyacinth, who had joined them after waking up from their nap starving. _"Adolescents_ " Violet said, looking at Kate, Sophie and Penelope " _the three of you will know sooner than later what I'm talking about; my three eldest cleaning my pantry out in their teens_ ". The three women looked at Violet astonished, and a mix of heavily blushing and paling marked their faces at the implications; only being saved by the newly-arrived-to-the-room Benedict and Anthony, saying that " _Colin seems to still live in that phase, mum_ " and Pen agreeing with them, who received heaps of tickles from her boyfriend and making all of the family laugh again. 

Later, they played some games they used to play as children until Violet called it the gaming time an hour before and Kate could see again how devoted Anthony was to his family, and how important their happiness was to him. It was moments like these, when she felt so fortunate to see that picture of him: of a caring and loving son, brother and boyfriend, to whom all the burden of forging ahead with an important firm and name, and providing for a fatherless family both economically and emotionally was put on him. He had been famous for being a serious, bad-tempered, arrogant and rake person; but no-one dared to see further; to see that those qualifying adjectives were reactions to his forced maturity for taking the role his father left for him (that he, as his eldest child, accepted such a legacy) at a very young age and making things the best he could. Violet never withdrew from her obligations as mother for any of her children, but she came from a well-off family and other older times, where the very much she could do for a living was to take care of children, cook and do some brodery, making Anthony the only one capable of providing for the family and the firm . But it was that wonderful, but damned stormy night four years ago in her office, Kate could really see this side of him; which he allowed someone else, for real, to see that side of him… the one which made her realise she actually liked, even loved, him.

Friday evening and night passed as calmed as possible, all the members of the family helping the much could to prepare the house for the party the next day. And, as expected, Saturday morning was a non-stop of preparations and people coming and going to make it all perfect. It was the first party in years at Aubrey Hall; the last one being held for late Edmund Bridgerton's forty-seven birthday. All the Bridgerton were excited and shared stories about the several parties thrown at that house when, the most of them, were infants.

Daphne, nearly four-month-pregnant of her second child, helped very little as Amelia's new toys (also known as Newton and Robert) wouldn't stop from excitement and, hence, neither did the child; taking turns with her husband to keep an eye on the girl. Anthony would scold the dog too, as if his own child was, and he received several mockeries from his family. Violet, sometimes Benedict, Daphne and Penelope helped some staff to organise the decoration of the rooms and cleaning, while Sophie, Colin (yes, he refrained himself from eating while cooking), Phillip and Eloise helped the cooks prepare the food. Francesca, Anthony, Ben and Simon when they weren't at other things, Gregory and Kate helped lifting and moving the furniture or whatever it was needed to make the ball room as wide as possible and the dinning room as comfortable as it was for the rest of guests. Yes, the Bridgertons, one of the most important and richest people in the whole UK, didn't mind doing part of the dirty work involving those fancy parties… Just as Edmund taught them since they were children (and as Anthony taught his younger siblings when his father was no longer with them on earth): _'You are lucky to be born in this family and have enough money to buy whatever you want, but some people need what others don't want to do to get a hot meal at the end of the day, and you must know, or get the main idea of, what that means.'_

Thus, by lunch time, everything was prepared, and waiters and waitresses were given the instructions to follow that night. The family separated for a while to attend their own tasks -the ones they couldn’t attend to while preparing that night’s party-, and, after taking a shower, women gathered in one of the biggest rooms of the house to primp together and have a nice boarding time before the party. Kate didn’t need help to prepare, as her make-up wasn't elaborated at all and her hair was just straightened, but she enjoyed these kinds of gatherings, as they reminded the ones with her sister and Mary and her friends back in Somerset. Once she got her hair and make-up on (less than an hour), she returned to Antho- _their_ room to dress up. When she came in, Anthony was lying on the bed, with his computer opened and focused on something he was reading. When he lifted the sight from the screen and saw her just there, taking her sandals from a bag and getting some tissues and lipstick in a pale gold clutch bag to get everything almost ready for that night, his furrowed brow and eyes softened and a beam appeared on his lips. She sat next to him on the bed and he informed her he had just showered (something she could notice, as his hair was damp) had been answering some important emails and preparing a meeting for next Wednesday and walked Newton while she was with the girls. And had the chance to take a little nap as soon as she left, something that irritated her in jest. After a while of nonviolent silence in the room, and when the polite hour for guests to arrive was brought closer, the pair, between not so innocent teasing and dallied small kisses here and there, got ready for the night. She finally wore the dress Anthony suggested (as she appreciated it too dearly, being one of the best gifts she received from her sister in law), while Anthony wore a Prussian blue suit, his favourite cufflinks and tie pin since last Christmas and a tie which matched Kate's dress' flowers. Anthony checked the hour and noticed they had got forty-five minutes for their polite arrival to the dining room, proposing, then, to Kate share a drink in the master's office (and just make up -luckily, a quickie too- without being much bothered).

Fifty minutes later, at ten past eight in the evening, a radiant Kate Sheffield, with a delightful blush in her cheeks, entered the dining room on Anthony’s arm,who had a proud smile on his lips after making her say his name in that way he so much adored. They sat in their designated seats: he, at the head of the table, and she, a couple of seats far from Anthony, between Violet and someone’s wife who was really nice to Mrs. Bridgerton and her… Except when that woman insisted on calling Kate _Mrs. Bridgerton_ too. That didn’t bother too much to Kate, it had been plenty of times people had called her by her boyfriend’s surname assuming they were married; what bothered her was that she and Violet had politely informed the woman Anthony and Kate were not married _yet_ and her name was _Sheffield_ , but this woman derisively chose to ignore them. Anyways, that woman was nice and enjoyable, so Kate decided to ignore her sudden name change… After all, she liked it.

During the meal, she chatted with both women at her side and with Daphne, Simon, Elosie and Phillip, who sat in front of her. She tried to exchange several glances with Anthony too, but he was invested in some conversations with the people closer to him and only looked at half of her attempts. By the way he looked in one of those exchanges, Kate noticed something was not alright. To the rest of guests, even his family, he seemed pretty normal: smiling, politely laughing and talking that calmed way that mastered after years in the lead of _Bridgeton_ ; but the bright in his eyes that he had when entered the room after their encounter in the office had disappeared and a cloud of anguish replaced it. Kate could tell it; she had seen it plenty of times, everytime he came to her, to be cared of, and told her about his concerns whether his father would be proud of the man he had become and his management and care of his family and the firm. Kate made a mental note to talk about it after wrapping the party in their chamber the latest that night.

The dinner passed and all of them moved to the ballroom, near the summer terrace, to have some refreshments and dance. She danced with little Amelia several turns, with all her in-laws and their partners and even two waltzes with Violet and Robert, each. She never lost sight of Anthony, who was speaking with some other people instead of joying his family (he had never been shy to dance), noticing his face became more serious and stern every passing second. She tried to go to speak with him, but she was dragged to dance everytime she made her way to him. It was in the third waltz of the night, when she was “left alone”, when she decided to speak with him, but he had disappeared from the room. Her first instinct was to go where the last group of people he had been speaking with and ask them where he had gone, but a hand in her arm stopped her just a few steps from where she was taken.

“Kate,” Robert called.

“Oh, hi Robert! Nice to see you again.” She tried to hide her worry with a rather pitched voice and a forced smile.

“I saw him go down the gardens,” he informed her.

“Is that so?” She now looked to the huge doors leading to such gardens, concern drawn in her face.

Robert hummed, affirmation in its tone. “Had something happened to him?” he asked, concerned… As a father would do with his child.

“I’m not sure… He had been alright this afternoon. He was genuinely content, but something during the meal must have soured it all. You were to his right during dinner, what were you talking about? If I can know, of course.” She remarked; she didn’t want to be tagged as nosy.

“Humbug! Sure you can know, dear Kate!” he huffed, pretending offence with a smirk in his lips. “The conversation has been really free and easy despite mainly focusing on _Bridgerton_ ’s management and its achievements. You know, Colin is doing a good job worldwide; I think I’m going to offer him to take the International Representation of my cars too.” Robert laughed. “But I could notice a subtle change in his demeanour when some of these people, I can’t tell if it was Rachel Pugh or John Abersmith, said something about Edmund.” Kate closed her eyes, imagining the roller coaster of emotions Anthony must have felt with his father’s name’s mention. She missed how Robert’s face flinched, trying to keep more information to himself and making up something quick... Surely, he knew what was going on. “I wish I could tell you more about the comment, but I really don’t remember. I know I defended Edmund’s memory to help Anthony out, but then the woman to my left changed intelligently the subject when Anthony accompained Mr Abersmith and his wife outside and moved forwards from such a tensing minutes.”

“Alright, Robert. You have been really helpful, genuinely.” Kate kissed him on the cheek as gratitude and informed him that, if some Bridgerton asked for them, he should inform them they were together and they needed to be left alone.

She left the ballroom and the chill of the night met her. However, the cold would not stop her. She walked through the gardens and the second conservatory, and led herself to the lake, where a hut where they kept anything (from a transportable barbeque to the infamous _Pall Mall_ equipment) was. Yet, she walked on the hut and kept her track to the left of it a couple of steps more. 

“There you are.” she said to herself, lifting her sight up and seeing the treehouse in one of the biggest trees of the whole place. She couldn’t see him, but this was his _shelter_. He explained to Kate, after deciding to go to therapy a year they became a couple, that the therapist recommended him to imagine that place he had been the happiest ever when life and duties was just too much to evade and recollect himself. And he told her about the treehouse Edmund constructed with his bare hands for Anthony and Benedict (and then the rest of siblings, of course) where they could play the three of them. It was of the very first places she visited her first time at Aubrey Hall, and it had become a kind of pilgrimage for Anthony and Kate to see the sunset at least once when they were there.

“Anthony, I know you are there. Do you want to talk to me?” Kate asked, raising her voice. However, he said nothing. “Anthony, I know you are upset and probably you don’t want to see anyone right now, but please at least let me know you are alright.” Kate pleaded… but no answer came. Kate waited a couple of minutes, not wanting to intrude his moment but knowing fully he needed someone by his side. She frustratingly huffed. “Anthony, I’m getting serious. Come down or just show me a hand or anything to know you are alright.”

“I’m ok, Kate. Go with the others.” A raspy voice answered and Kate’s heart ached. 

“I won’t go anywhere knowing you’re in the shit. What is more...” she undid her sandals and taking one on her hand, warmed him, “move to one side, I’m going to throw my sandals.”

She heard how the shoes hit the wood of the house and, successively, grasped each step up to the entrance of the treehouse. She crawled a bit to make sure she was in and then lifted her eyes, to find him sitting with stretched legs, her sandals to his side, in one of the corners of the house. He was fidgeting his jacket, not looking at her, and with his eyes completely red and wet.

“Anthony...” Kate uttered and, within seconds she was sat next to him, one hand on his shoulders and the other bringing his head to the crook of her neck, caressing his hair. She kissed his head and shooed his falling tears, whispering comforting words. Once he stopped crying and after a couple of minutes in silence, Kate tried again. “Care to tell me what happened?”

Anthony cleared his voice before speaking. “We were having this polite conversation… It wasn’t too deep, you know? Mere general information about how our businesses are making and that stuff. But this wanker of Abersmith just hates me for no fucking reason -perhaps for being more successful than their firm, and that Benedict refused to work for them when he ended at Oxford or whatever- and began to say shit about _Bridgerton_ and my family and my father… He even involved you. That’s when everything went downhill...” he fidgeted with Kate’s fingers, and the ring he bought her for Christmas. “He said my father would be managing things better; and that I was doing good, but I would always live to his shadow; that I was a poorly, pathetic imitation of Edmund Bridgerton… And that I was being influenced by the _Curry nigger_ I have got as a girlfriend.” a sharp breath caught at Kate’s throat. No one in her whole life had been mean to her or had insulted her in that way. Of course, she had faced some not very nice comments or questions; to call it whatever… And suddenly hearing those hurtful things wounded her immensely; tears pricking in her eyes instantly. “Robert and I told him off that if he ever insulted you again or was just a breath away close to you, he wouldn’t live to see the next sunrise. He then said how my father must be turning in his grave seeing his widowed dating a black man and his first-born dating that kind of woman; not to mention about that... "n" word of actor, his coloured grandchild and the whore Ben claims to be his girlfriend… I don’t know how neither of us punched him in the face and I managed to accompany him to the door and, as politely as possible, told him and his wife they are not welcomed by the Bridgetons anymore. I’m so sorry, Kate… So sorry for this.”

“You are not the one who has to apologise for, Anthony. I thank you for defending my honour and the honour of the rest of your family when we were oblivious and not there to defend ourselves. I would have punched him myself if I had been there; I’d not have refrained myself.” She tried to make the situation lighter. “You know how small my town is. Well, I promise you never I, or my family, have been treated that badly. Not a single ill comment or name. We have been very respected and loved in that way. And during my university years and later at the beginning of my working experience I never heard someone calling me anything. Of course, comments and questions were made, but never that I'll intentioned. The perks of being the wallflower, I guess.” She chuckled humorously, tears rolling her face. “Of course, I have been raised knowing these things and mentally prepared to face them if they happened; ask Simon or Robert, and they probably will tell you too about this. But hearing them… It feels like millions of daggers are sunk in your heart without any reason. Just because the colour of your skin. I was kinda scared when I first met you, and then your family because of this; but all of you see as the person I am and not the colour of my skin or our origins since second one, and I'm so thankful for it. And I bet Sophie, Simon and Robert are thankful for it too. But I don’t want this to shadow our night, right? Now that I know I have got you there when I am not to defend myself, I feel better. And, look at your family! Simon and Robert are black people, I am Desi, Pen is half Irish, Sophie is Romanian and I think one of Gregory’s crushes is Japanese… I’m not sure now if she’s Hermione or Lucy. We could be the new _Benetton Campaign_ , you know?” She joked and he mimicked her smile, a tad better, while she wiped their tears of their eyes gently. “I didn’t know him personally, but I can assure you, Anthony Bridgerton, that your father would be honoured to call you his son. Especially after tonight. Your family is never unattended and are cared of; they call you whenever they have a problem and you give them what they need: a shoulder to cry, someone to speak sense to them, or just a hug from their big brother. And the company… Anthony! You just did yesterday a bloody interview for _Vogue_! Not all firms manage to do so! I rather think that’s a huge milestone in the company’s story; and it has been achieved thanks to you and your work. Everyone loves you and are proud of you; and your father, wherever he is, does too. He would be proud of the family and the son he built in his time on earth.”

Overwhelmed, Anthony kissed her with all the love he could show her in that simple gesture. “I adore you, Katherine Sheffield. With all my heart and soul and body. What did I deserve to get you by my side?. 'Cause you love me as I am...” he sang.

“Please don't change a thing” she sang back. “That’s the same question I ask myself too everyday, Anthony.” She kissed him tenderly again.

“I hope you didn’t destroy your fantastic dress on your way up here.” He said when he moved away and he felt ready to face the rest of the world.

“If it is, you pay for its amendment, dear; you made me come here. It’s the least you can do.” she said decisively.

On their way to the main house, the party was almost over, joined by their hands and with all the lights reflecting so magically on her face, Anthony became sure Kate was the only woman for him and that his father, somehow, had brought her in his life.

🌷🐝🌷

A week later, three days before Benedict’s exposition, Anthony entered Kate’s office (again, without knocking at the door) at half past six, just in time when she was picking her bag.

“Honestly; Anthony, knock the blood-”

“Are you done for today? Good.” He grinned. “We will be on time, then.”

“Where?”

“It’s a surprise; but first we need to go home for you to change and take Newton, alright?” He winked, while offering his arm. “Let’s go, then?”

Suspiciously, she took his arm and left the office, wishing Klaus a good night. Kate could notice Anthony was nervous, but she had known he had had an important meeting that day and had been a bit more agitated than usual since Sunday; so she didn’t pay much attention.

An hour later, Anthony, Kate and Newton were in Greenwich Park. As expected, there would be much more people than what they liked it to be, but it was a Wednesday at half past seven in the evening, so the place wasn't actually that crowded than at weekends. They were having dinner while watching sunset, Newton lying at their feet after having freely played with other dogs. While Anthony just had picked the basket Sophie had prepared for them and taken the leash for Newton, remaining in his green suit (sans tie and vest), Kate had changed to a midi dress with puffed mid sleeves and square neckline in a lilac colour, and her Converse.

“Have I ever told you this is the first thing I saw in London? I mean, something that involved job hunting or a better place to live.”

“You have. But I don’t mind hearing it again.” He sincerely said. He was behaving oddly, all the time unsettled.

“Are you alright?” Kate asked.

“Why do you ask?” he stood still, finally.

“I don’t know, you’re behaving a tad odd today. Was the meeting really ok?”

“It did; but it’s just me, that all the tension is leaving my body like this today. Please, continue telling me about this place.”

“Alright,” she smirked, not fully believing him. He hid something; perhaps the keys for the new house. But since she kind of spoiled his surprise last week, she let him surprise her -or at least, try it. “So, I was just a newcomer to London, and knew no-one and I terribly missed my sister and Mary and my friends,” she moved from where she was and laid her head on his lap, to where Anthony moved his hand to caress her hair. She continued talking while she saw the contrast of the City’s lights with The Queen’s House’s ones and the sky in beautiful orange, pink, black and dark blue shades. “I went to bed everyday crying on my phone and waking up with horrible headaches because of the crying; but in the span of two minutes I reminded myself of the reason I was here: to look for better job opportunities and to demonstrate to the world who Kate Sheffield is. Probably I’m not the most beautiful or hottest girl in the world-”

“I wholly disagree with that last statement.” Anthony said, and Kate stoke out her tongue.

“But I knew at that moment -and now I confirm it- I am intelligent, and determined and hardworking and very good in my job; and that I had a lot to offer to the world to just remain in Somerset. So I took every line, every bus or every taxi to take me where I heard they were offering a post every single day for a month. One day, after perhaps my fifth face-to-face interview, I was so shattered and sad and gutted with how life was treating me that I bought myself a £5 menu from Tesco and came here. It was just this very same scenery we are seeing now. I remember me pathetically crying while eating a bag of salt and vinegar chips, and suddenly all the lights from the house and the city turned on. _Plop!_ ” she made a gesture with her hand which was very cute. “Like Christmas lights. And suddenly a wave of peace and tranquility invaded me, from the tips of my toes to the hair on my head. Suddenly I wasn’t that worried to find a job, because I reasoned that if I hadn’t been called yet it meant there was something much better in store for me. And that once I got that good job, I would stop being lonely in this city and could afford a better place to live; and that Mary and Edwina and my friends were just a call away. It was taking my phone to call Mary when an unknown number was calling me… It was the HR of that fifth interview telling me the post was mine and I was expected at the offices at 8 the following Monday.” She breathed deeply and a dreamy smile formed in her lips. She looked at Anthony and found him looking at her, with a similar expression in his face.

“And a few years later, you became a key member of _Bridgerton._ ”

“And I met the most insufferable, rake and dickhead on planet earth.”

“A dickhead who fell hard for you.”

“Well, I must tell that dickhead that I fell for him too; and that I do it day after day.”

“I do choose you day after day, too. You're the best thing that had happened to me.” He lowered his face and kissed her on the lips.

He moved away and with his eyes focused on the scenery, just releasing a sigh. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”

“I wish we could too...” Kate looked from her perspective at his face. Before she realised what she was doing, she asked: “Marry me.”

Anthony looked at her, with poker face.

“Marry me. Anthony, I love you with all my heart, soul and body. I burn for you in unimaginable ways and I never thought I could feel the way I feel with you.” She raised from her place and seated, to be at the same height for visual contact. “You let me be; you let me have my freedom and grow and make mistakes and you’re there by my side, cheering me when I need it, supporting me when I need it and helping me to heal my wounds. And you advise me when I need it. And thanks to you I can feel myself as the prettiest woman in the world. You are a terrific man; far from perfect, but it is just how I want you. You are a loved and lovely son, brother and- I'm not being right at all in this-”

She stopped talking, and her jaw opened bigger than she thought she could open it. On one of his hands, rested a velvet blue box, with the _Tanishq_ engravement of the top of it.

“Always a few steps ahead of me, Katherine.” He joked.

“Since- When-?”

“I just received it today. The meeting today? Actually waiting for the package to arrive.” He opened the box and Kate breathed in sharply, eyes full of tears. The ring was simple: a pink gold ring, with little diamonds and a tad bigger red diamond at the top of it. “I have got a lot to thank my mother for helping me choose, and to Anand and Asha for assessing with a thing or two.” he said, his eyes and face wet too from his own tears.

“Then… I take this as a yes to my proposition.” She said, while letting Anthony put the ring in her finger, together with the one he bought for Christmas.

“Yes, yes and yes. And I take your proposition as a yes to mine.” He said taking her by her waist and putting her closer.

She didn’t answer with words. The kiss was enough as an answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reaching here and reading my story! :)❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, your comments and kudos! Take care. 🥰
> 
> CAN'T WAIT FOR KATE SHARMA. 😎


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